Report on the Appointment of Dr. Karen Meisch to the Clarksville Montgomery County Industrial Development Board and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Appointment and Term Details

• Dr. Karen Meisch, Dean of the Austin Peay State University (APSU) College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), has been elected to the Clarksville Montgomery County Industrial Development Board (IDB) Board of Directors.
• The appointment is for a six-year term, which commenced in June 2025.

Industrial Development Board Mission and Contribution to Sustainable Development

• The Clarksville-Montgomery County IDB, established in 1964, has a core mission to maintain and increase employment opportunities by recruiting companies to the region.
• This objective directly supports SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth by actively promoting job creation and attracting billions of dollars in industrial investment.
• The board’s focus on industrial recruitment and expansion is a key driver for SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, strengthening the region’s economic resilience and capacity for innovation.

Dr. Meisch’s Profile: Advancing Education, Innovation, and Partnerships

Dr. Meisch’s extensive background in academia and leadership demonstrates a strong alignment with several Sustainable Development Goals, making her a strategic addition to the IDB.

Contributions to SDG 4: Quality Education

• Under her leadership as Dean since 2020, the APSU College of STEM has achieved record enrollment growth and secured unprecedented levels of grant funding.
• She has been instrumental in developing new undergraduate and graduate programs specifically designed to meet regional workforce needs, ensuring graduates are prepared for successful careers.
• Dr. Meisch has also promoted inclusive and equitable education through STEM outreach programs for local youth.

Fostering SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Dr. Meisch has led the development of innovative, industry-aligned academic programs. Key examples include:
  1. Aviation Science
  2. Mechatronics
  3. Engineering Physics
• She established the annual Innovation Experience, which showcases student projects developed in direct partnership with major industrial collaborators, fostering a culture of innovation.

Strengthening SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• A central theme of Dr. Meisch’s tenure has been fostering powerful partnerships between academia and industry.
• She has coordinated industry summits to enhance collaboration and established community engagement events such as the “Science on Tap” series.
• Her appointment to the IDB formalizes this commitment, creating a direct link between educational strategy and economic development to achieve shared goals for regional prosperity.

Strategic Outlook for Regional Sustainable Development

Dr. Meisch’s appointment is anticipated to significantly enhance the synergy between educational institutions and industrial development efforts in Clarksville-Montgomery County. Her expertise in strategic planning and program development will be invaluable as the IDB works to build a vibrant and sustainable economic future, reinforcing the interconnected nature of SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 9, and SDG 17.

Identified Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article highlights the role of Austin Peay State University (APSU) in education, specifically through its College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It mentions Dr. Meisch’s leadership leading to “record enrollment growth” and the development of “numerous new undergraduate and graduate programs.” The core theme is the “powerful the partnership between education and industry” and the effort to “aligning our educational programs with regional workforce needs” to prepare graduates for careers.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• The primary mission of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board (IDB) is stated as being “to maintain and increase employment opportunities by recruiting companies” and having secured “thousands of jobs for the community.” The article emphasizes creating a “vibrant economic future for our region” and providing local industries with a “skilled workforce they need to thrive,” which directly relates to promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and employment.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• The article discusses the recruitment of industry, fostering “collaboration between academia and industry,” and developing innovative programs like “aviation science, mechatronics, and engineering physics.” The establishment of the “annual Innovation Experience,” which showcases student projects with “major industrial collaborators,” points directly to fostering innovation and building resilient infrastructure by linking educational and industrial sectors.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The entire article centers on a partnership. Dr. Meisch’s appointment to the IDB exemplifies a strategic collaboration between an educational institution (APSU) and an economic development body. Her statement about the “powerful the partnership between education and industry” and her work in coordinating “industry summits” and developing projects with “industrial collaborators” are clear examples of building multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve development goals.

Identified SDG Targets

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.4: “By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.” This is identified through the article’s focus on developing specific programs like “aviation science, mechatronics, and engineering physics” that were “designed to meet workforce needs” and prepare graduates for “successful careers.”

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Target 8.2: “Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation…” This is connected to the development of advanced STEM programs that provide a skilled workforce for modern industries, contributing to technological upgrading and a more productive regional economy.
• Target 8.5: “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all…” This is directly addressed by the IDB’s stated mission “to maintain and increase employment opportunities” and its success in securing “thousands of jobs for the community.”

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Target 9.2: “Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product…” The IDB’s work of recruiting companies and expanding industry, resulting in “billions of dollars’ worth of industry,” directly supports this target.
• Target 9.5: “Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors… encouraging innovation…” This is reflected in the university’s efforts to secure “record levels of grant funding,” establish the “annual Innovation Experience,” and foster student projects with industrial partners.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…” The appointment of Dr. Meisch from a public university to the public-private IDB is a direct example of this. The article explicitly mentions fostering “collaboration between academia and industry,” coordinating “industry summits,” and developing projects with “major industrial collaborators” as key activities.

Identified Indicators for Measuring Progress

Target 4.4 (Quality Education)

• Implied Indicator: Number of new technical and vocational programs created (e.g., aviation science, mechatronics, engineering physics).
• Implied Indicator: Growth in student enrollment in STEM fields.
• Implied Indicator: Number of graduates employed in local industries.

Target 8.2 & 8.5 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

• Mentioned Indicator: Total value of industrial investment recruited and expanded (“billions of dollars’ worth of industry”).
• Mentioned Indicator: Number of jobs created (“thousands of jobs for the community”).

Target 9.2 & 9.5 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)

• Mentioned Indicator: Amount of grant funding secured (“record levels of grant funding”).
• Mentioned Indicator: Number of industry-academia collaborative events (e.g., “annual Innovation Experience,” “industry summits”).
• Mentioned Indicator: Number of new companies recruited to the region.

Target 17.17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

• Implied Indicator: Number of formal partnerships established between educational institutions and industrial boards/companies.
• Implied Indicator: Number of joint projects developed between students and industrial collaborators.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: clarksvillenow.com