Dr. Phil Parrish is Associate Vice President for Research at the University of Virginia. In his current role he is responsible for pan-university research institutes in nanoscience technology and research (nanoSTAR), the UVA Institute on Aging, the UVA Energy Leadership Group and serves as the UVA member on the Board of Governors of UT-Battelle LLC, the managing contractor of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He is also Principal Scientist and Director of the Intelligent Processing of Materials Laboratory in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Dr. Parrish holds a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering from the University of Florida, where he also earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Materials Engineering.  Prior to joining UVA, Dr. Parrish worked in government and private industry in the advanced materials and manufacturing sectors.

Question: How did you first learn about the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, and what were your initial impressions?

Dr. Parrish: I’ve gained a knowledge of the SVHEC and the region over the past couple of years through interactions with the Halifax Industrial Development Authority, Riverstone and the SVHEC. Over the past year, the SVHEC and UVA partnered to submit a request for proposal to the IDA to manage the Riverstone Energy Centre. They [the IDA] took a different direction but they asked both organizations to partner with them to develop that Centre. We have continued to do that, and I’ve become more familiar with the administration & staff at the SVHEC, the Halifax County IDA, and Riverstone.

I find the people to be highly professional, and I believe that they are able to move the economy of the region in a very positive direction.

Question: What made you want to partner with the SVHEC?

Dr. Parrish: I find that the kinds of research and innovation going on at UVA link very well with the interests of the people in Halifax & Southside Virginia, the SVHEC, and Riverstone. We seem to be able to easily build collaborations even though there’s a significant distance between us.

Question: In terms of creativity, collaboration, and innovation, how do the people of Southern Virginia compare with others you’ve work with?

Dr. Parrish: In terms of creativity, the Halifax IDA and the Halifax Educational Foundation members I’ve met have been highly creative in their vision of how the region should develop in terms of transitioning from tobacco, textile & furniture-based manufacturing to advanced manufacturing of advanced products, as well as in professional services. I think that’s shown in the effort that’s been put forth in the Innovation Center, and in the people who have been brought in to lead the SVHEC, including Betty Adams, Patty Nelson, and David Kenealy. David has been particularly helpful in establishing the vision for an affordable energy efficient housing initiative working, in conjunction with Riverstone and several industrial organizations in the region.

Question: What do you think of the region’s resources?

Dr. Parrish: One thing I really like about the region are all of the amenities that are being developed such as nice restaurants, the Prizery, the really attractive building systems at Riverstone and those that have been renovated where the SVHEC is located. They’re all remarkable examples of revitalization of the region.

Question: What are you currently working on with people in Southern Virginia?


Dr. Parrish: We’re working on establishing an affordable energy efficient housing initiative [An SVHEC R&D Center of Advanced Manufacturing & Energy Efficiency initiative]. We’re working with Cardinal Homes, a company in Wylliesburg that builds home systems, SIPS of America in Blairs, and the Coatings Center that’s being developed at Riverstone. If funded, the project will enable Southside Virginia to establish a leading center in the manufacture of affordable energy efficient housing systems. It will also help us at UVA to physically locate some UVA architecture and engineering graduate & undergraduate students in the region so they can be locally situated and work directly with the project. We look forward to that. We are also part of the team (along with Dominion Virginia Power and a battery manufacturer) which was selected by the Tobacco Commission to establish a large solar farm and associated battery production facility in Halifax County. We look forward to these and other projects in which capabilities at UVA can be matched up with those in the region to strengthen its economy, and to building a stronger relationship in workforce training and education with the SVHEC.