Rowen Newsletter: October 30, 2025
Convergence Center Unveiled at Summit
On Oct. 13, Rowen’s mission came to life at the 2025 Convergence Summit. More than 200 scientists, artists, educators, and business leaders came together to celebrate the convergence of art and science—exploring ideas that spanned neuro-arts, technology, conservation and the evolving relationship between humanity and the digital world.
This spirit of exploration and collaboration will become manifest in the Rowen Convergence Center, announced at the event. Designed as the epicenter of our knowledge community, the Center will break ground in mid-2026 and will welcome the next generation of innovators, dreamers, and creators to work side by side under one roof. To learn more about the Convergence Center, please see the video and articles linked below.
The Convergence Center marks a milestone for Rowen, transforming our interdisciplinary vision into lasting infrastructure. It will empower leading minds across the agriculture, medical, environmental, and technology sectors to gather and focus on solutions that enhance human well-being.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Summit. We invite you to stay connected as we continue building on this momentum—strengthening partnerships, advancing discovery, and shaping a future where knowledge, creativity, and purpose converge.
Mason Ailstock
President & CEO
Rowen Region Ready
A thriving talent hub, the Rowen Region boasts a workforce rich in education, healthcare, administration and science-related expertise. In 2022, more than 55,000 degrees were awarded across regional institutions to a growing multicultural population, with business, computer science, health and engineering leading the way—fueling the next wave of economic opportunity.
Dive Into The Rowen Region
Rooted in Rowen
A flurry of college and university rankings has recently been released, and Rowen’s academic partners are standing out nationally, reinforcing the strength of our collaborations and the growing impact of our research ecosystem.
- University of Georgia ranks No. 1 nationally for research-based products brought to market. We recently appointed UGA’s Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Benjamin C. Ayers to Rowen’s board of directors.
- Spelman College is the 2026 Best Historically Black College in the nation, encouraging women to pursue STEM careers with experiential learning.
- Emory University and Georgia Tech both received awards for being among the nation’s most innovative schools. They recently partnered to prepare local nurses to meet workforce demands in the healthcare industry.
- Meanwhile, Gwinnett Technical College addresses workforce needs through its distinguished respiratory therapy program, offering hands-on learning for students to enter medical facilities within 14 months.
- And the Technical College System of Georgia’s Quick Start training program has been the No. 1 workforce development program for 15 consecutive years.
These higher education institutions are preparing the talent pipeline to fill skills gaps in the healthcare, life sciences, and technology sectors. And that’s why Rowen was born—to be the catalyst of experiential learning and ensure future scientists and entrepreneurs have a place to cultivate their ideas and bring them to fruition.
Discover Rowen’s University Partners
Rowen in the Media
- 2,000-acre Rowen bioscience campus announces first buildings ➡️ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- First buildings at massive Rowen project revealed ➡️ Urbanize Atlanta
- Rowen’s first building set to break ground next year ➡️ Gwinnett Daily Post
- Opinion: Crossroads of creativity & discovery focus of Rowen summit ➡️ James Magazine
Discover More News & Media
Rowen on the Road
Rowen attended EXPO REAL, Europe’s largest real estate conference, to build international relationships and promote innovation and talent in Georgia. Supported by the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Munich office, we connected with major global real estate firms to share Rowen’s vision.
- ULI Fall Meeting | November 4-6, San Francisco, CA
- MEDICA | November 17-20, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Area Development Fall Forum | December 15-17, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Announcing Rowen’s Convergence Center
Media Coverage
Georgia invests $1B to turn Route 316 into ‘workforce expressway’ between Atlanta and Athens
Originally posted in Atlanta Business Chronicle. A decade from now, a series of stop-and-start intersections along the state highway connecting Atlanta to Athens will be ditched in an effort to improve traffic flow and accommodate growth. Georgia’s Department of Transportation is investing approximately $1 billion into a long-term overhaul of state Route 316. The four-lane […]
Announcements
Rowen Foundation Announces Leadership Transition
The Rowen Foundation today announced that President and CEO Mason Ailstock will step down after accepting a new opportunity. The Rowen Board of Directors is conducting a national search for Rowen's next president and CEO with the Board anticipating new leadership later this fall.
Blog
Why Companies Are Choosing Georgia’s Largest Biotech Park
While Boston and San Francisco have long dominated the life sciences conversation, the Southeast is writing a new chapter, and Georgia is leading it. With 2,000 acres of preserved land for state-of-the-art facilities, labs, and collaboration spaces, Rowen is a compelling destination for biopharma and biotech industry investments that value collaborative learning, knowledge sharing, and transformative thinking.