"Miracle Road" Brings Human Focus To RTP's Miraculous Existence

By Jim Shamp, NCBiotech

Research Triangle Park transformed 7,000 acres of North Carolina’s “possums and pines” into the nation’s largest science park and a globally recognized center for research, technology and life sciences. “Miracle Road: The Story of Research Triangle Park” traces that evolution through more than 160 interviews with the leaders, researchers and community partners who shaped RTP. Authors Allen Paul and Mack Paul explore how collaboration among universities, businesses and governments helped the state overcome economic hardship, attract companies such as IBM, and build an enduring innovation ecosystem.

As RTP begins its next chapter as a more urban, mixed-use destination, these firsthand accounts offer timely perspective on the people, decisions, and shared ambitions that made its success possible.