The University of Akron is a world leader in creating new materials for the new economy; a national leader in the development, protection, management and commercialization of intellectual property; and a regional leader in information technology initiatives. Akron is the only public university in Ohio to have a science and engineering program ranked in the top five nationally. Its polymer science and polymer engineering program, ranked second in the U.S., serves Ohio's $50 billion polymer industry and includes a NASA-supported nanotechnology initiative. The University also has strong ties with business leaders in the region. The scope of the University's quality and its effects are evident in four clusters of excellence – Discovery and Innovation, Cultural Enrichment, Community Well Being and Economic Development. The University of Akron is a vibrant community within metropolitan Akron. This technologically advanced campus powers student academic success in many ways. As Ohio's most wired-for-wireless public university, students can study almost anywhere on campus – indoors or outdoors. The ongoing New Landscape for Learning initiative has transformed UA's campus with the addition of 30 acres of green space and 10 new buildings, including a Student Recreation and Wellness Center, Student Union, Honors Complex, classroom buildings and parking decks. Among the major renovations completed to date is an addition to Guzzetta Hall that brought all the university's educational programs in the performing arts – dance, theatre, music and arts administration – under one roof. And the transformation continues – UA's 15th residence hall opened in fall 2007.
