South Dakota State University’s Dean of Engineering, Lew Brown, on Sept. 23, showed many state-of-the art facilities in the electrical engineering and computer science building that offers opportunities for joint academic and research efforts with Watertown institutions.

A contingency of elected officials from both Brookings and Watertown, leadership from Lake Area Technical Institute, the Watertown school district, Focus Watertown and Brookings Economic Development Corporation led by SDSU administrators and faculty, toured the engineering building, dairy plant renovation and Avera Health and Science Center while they discussed a consultant’s report on regional growth strategy for the I-29 corridor.

The report called for using strengths and capabilities to work cooperatively toward shared goals and suggested integrating economic development assets more fully with university-based strategies.