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The University of Pittsburgh Applied Research Center, commonly known as U-PARC, is a one-million-square foot (93,000 m2), high-security research park campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Comprising 53 buildings situated on over , U-PARC is located from Downtown Pittsburgh in Harmar Township, Pennsylvania adjacent to the Route 28 expressway and Interstate 76, the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Originally founded as the research laboratories of Gulf Oil in 1933 and move to Harmar Township in 1935, it served many decades as one of the leading industrial research centers in the world, with labs engaging in petroleum, chemical, polymer, refining, and nuclear research. At its peak, it employed over 2,000 scientists and engineers and had an annual budget of $100 million ($ in dollars). Upon Gulf Oil's acquisition by Chevron Oil in 1985, the research park was donated to the University of Pittsburgh in order to keep the center open for the benefit of the region. Today, U-PARC is home to more than 100 different companies from around the world, including several Fortune 500 Companies. In addition, the university's Swanson School of Engineering maintains laboratories and its Manufacturing Assistance Center at the site. It also serves as the home to the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences' Masters of Science program in Physician Assistant Studies. ==History== U-PARC was founded as the research labs of Gulf Oil in 1933 in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. Work began on its current Harmar Township location in August 1934〔https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19340814&id=zzcxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NGkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=953,4886374&hl=en〕 with the opening of the first three buildings in 1935. For many decades it was one of the leading industrial research centers in the world, with labs encompassing research ranging from petroleum, chemical, polymers, refining to even nuclear applications thanks to a three million volt Van de Graaff particle accelerator. It also served for a time as the site of geophysics research by two-time winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, John Bardeen. Products developed in its labs included the airborne magnetometer, the marsh buggy, No-Nox gasoline, Gulf Spray pesticide, and processes for the hydrodesulfurization of sour crude oil and shale oil extraction.〔 For at least the first 20 years of its existence it was the "most highly integrated of all the petroleum research laboratories in the world". By 1955, it employed over 1,200, and by the late 1970s, it employed 1,500. General Matthew Ridgway keynoted the dedication of three new research laboratories at the center in May, 1957 with Richard King Mellon and about 600 others in attendance.〔https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19570530&id=VLtRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2WsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6661,5071904&hl=en〕〔https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19570522&id=FTEbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B04EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6418,2340534&hl=en〕 In 1985 Gulf Oil was acquired by Chevron Corporation which maintained its own research facilities in Richmond, California, the complex had grown to with 54 multi-story lab buildings and employed nearly 2,000 scientists and engineers with an annual operation budget of over $100 million. The University of Pittsburgh proposed that it would be able to maintain and operate the facility in order to keep the center open for the benefit of the region. Gulf and Chevron agreed to the university's proposal and donated the site, valued at $100 million including the fully furnished and equipped laboratories, a computer telecommunications center, an executive office building, and unique facilities such as large cold room containing a wind tunnel. Chevron also added a $3 million start up grant, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania added a $3 million matching grant for economic development. The donation was announced by university Chancellor Wesley Posvar at a press conference in April, 1985. The university took over the facility in early 1986 and renamed it the University of Pittsburgh Applied Research Center. On March 17, 1986, the university signed its first major tenant, General Motors Corporation, to a four-year, $13 million contract〔 and in two years was sheltering 80 small businesses.〔 Today, U-PARC is currently home to both academic programs as well as more than 100 different companies from all over the world, including several Fortune 500 Companies. U-PARC's pilot plant services range from petroleum, petrochemical, and chemical-based technologies to environmental, synthetic fuels, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Swanson School of Engineering: Research Centers )〕 Buildings are connected indoors throughout the campus via underground tunnels. On-site amenities include 24-hour monitored access points, free parking, catering service, meeting/conference space, a U.S. Postal Service sub-station, a credit union, ATMs, picnic areas, outdoor dining, volleyball courts, locker rooms, and shower facilities.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=U-PARC University of Pittsburgh - About Us )〕 In addition to the companies that rent occupy the facilities at U-PARC, the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering maintains research groups and laboratories at the site, including the Manufacturing Assistance Center. Beginning in 2010, the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences initiated a Masters of Science program in Physician Assistant Studies headquartered at U-PARC.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 title=Program in Physicians Assistant Studies )〕 The space for the Physician's Assistant program includes classrooms, breakout rooms, student lounge, computer room, conference room and offices for faculty and administration.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「University of Pittsburgh Applied Research Center」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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