By Michelle Kantrow Vazquez – The San Juan Star Rodriguez Rivera is the former Secretary of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, from 2002 to 2004, is associate professor at the University of Puerto Rico Law School and has also taught in colleges in Europe. “The trust is a key component of Puerto Rico’s transition into the knowledge economy,” said Ricardo Rivera Cardona, interim Economic Development and Commerce Secretary. “This appointment seeks to accelerate the Trust’s work agenda, especially in what has to do with the creation of the knowledge corridor.” The knowledge corridor is part of the Ciudad Mayor project, a re-engineering initiative of the Acevedo Vila administration that seeks to transform the San Juan metropolitan area into the “economic, social and cultural” capital of the Caribbean. Rivera Cardona, along with Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company Executive Director, Boris Jaskille, and Office of Management and Budget Director, Guillermo Davila, joined the Trust’s board as members. During the morning news conference that marked the start of this year’s Biotechnology Week, Rodriguez Rivera said his main priority as head of the Trust will be to achieve a rapid injection of money into the nonprofit organization. “My short-term goal will be to adequately capitalize the Trust so that it can meet its principal goal of establishing a bridge to ease the transition into the new knowledge economy,” he said. “For that to happen there should be a synchronization of efforts by the government, academia and private sector.” The Science, Technology and Research Trust was created in 2004 to promote the financing of research, development and infrastructure projects in the areas of science and technology that in turn spur Puerto Rico’s economic, social and educational development.