NSF :: Partnerships for Innovation :: 2010 Grantee Meeting

University of Alaska, Anchorage Campus
“Building on Success: Indigenous Alliance Expansion”
836986 Start Date: 8/1/2008
PI: Schroeder, Herb, herb@uaa.alaska.edu
Cohen, Charles L. (industry partner, Siemens)
Knueven, Ken (industry partner, Microsoft)

Based at the University of Alaska Anchorage, the Indigenous Alliance for Engineering & Science Education is a network of Indigenous American communities, 12 higher education institutions, and more than 50 industrial companies, philanthropic organizations and government agencies in 9 states. Partners to this effort have provided in excess of $30 million to support the work. The Alliance academic model provides inspiration, guidance and opportunity for students from middle school through the PhD. The Pre-College Computer Assembly component brings computer technology to remote communities; provides high school students with a vision of a career in science and engineering; connects students with professionals in industry and academia; provides industrial partners with a technologically trained workforce; catalyzes an interest in high school trigonometry, chemistry, and physics; and develops the enabling infrastructure necessary to sustain the effort long term. The Alliance University in each state works with high schools and Alliance partners. High school students are provided with all of the parts to assemble a top end PC computer. Students assemble the computers, train on software packages and teach others how to build computers. Students who successfully complete chemistry, physics, and trigonometry prior to graduation earn the right to keep the computer. We have assembled approximately 1000 computers. 625 of these students have graduated from Alliance schools so far. Of these graduates, 60% have successfully completed all 3 classes prior to graduation.

Arizona State University
“PFI: An Integrated Framework for Creation and Assessment of Sustainable Construction Processes”
917994 Start Date: 3/1/2010
PI: Johnson, Paul, paul.c.johnson@asu.edu
CoPIs: Bashford, Howard; DeLatte, Norbert J.; Snell, Luke; Walsh, Kenneth D. (academic partner, San Diego State University)
Stecker, Leger (industry partner, SCP Concrete)
Ashley, Erin (industry partner, National Ready Mix Concrete Association)
Thompson, Jacqueline (student)

Keck Graduate Institute
“PFI: Partnerships for Biomarker Research and Innovation Enabled by a Flow Cytometry Center”
917906 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: Sterling, James D., jim_sterling@kgi.edu
CoPIs: Osborne, James; Orwin, Elizabeth; Duron, Ziyad; Niemz, Angelika
Fenske, Sue (academic partner, Keck Graduate Institute)
Lai, Alice P. (student)

This translational and collaborative PFI project involves industry (Beckman Coulter, Inc. (BCI)), a non-profit organization (National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD)) and academia (Harvey Mudd College (HMC) and Keck Graduate Institute (KGI)) to educate translational scientists and to discover and commercialize new disease-specific biomarkers. As part of the proposed work, we are establishing a Center for Biomarker Research (CBR) on the KGI campus, equipped with analytical instruments, including two flow cytometers. Research in CBR will focus on development and validation of biomarker assays for rare diseases. We are creating a database of biomarkers as a means for classifying and stratifying disease populations. The entire database of biomarkers and disease characteristics will be accessible to academic and corporate communities for data mining. CBR will select diseases from the database that have effective therapies, but are difficult to diagnose due to a lack of specific biomarkers, and will work with NORD, patient advocacy groups and the medical community for access to biospecimens. CBR also aims to educate Master of Bioscience students at KGI and undergraduate engineering students at HMC in the development of diagnostic tools for biomarker discovery. The students will learn to operate in a Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) facility that handles human samples, an experience that provides excellent preparation for the industrial laboratory work environment. The protocols for the GLP facility will be adopted from existing BCI standard operating procedures and BCI will assist in their full implementation. Through exposure to this facility, the students will gain valuable hands-on experience in quality assurance, assay validation and regulatory compliance, areas that are not commonly addressed in an academic setting. HMC and KGI will arrange for 2-3 students per year to participate in a 10 week summer undergraduate research program at KGI, engaging in team based research related to the PFI award. Dr. Niemz, Dr. Orwin and Dr. Osborne will collaborate on integrating topics related to the PFI award into existing courses at HMC and KGI. Relevant courses include: Engr164/Biol164-Introduction to Biomedical Engineering; ALS320-Medical Diagnostics; ALS301-Molecular Basis of Disease; ALS408-In Vitro Diagnostics; ALS409-High Throughput Technologies.

Loma Linda University
“PFI: Inter-University Technology Bundling Project”
650347 Start Date: 1/15/2008
PI: Taylor, Barry, bltaylor@llu.edu
CoPIs: Grande, Carol; Gutierrez, Carlos (non-academic partner, Larta Institute); Hwang, Victor; Rohit, Shukla
Rankin, James R. (industry partner/former student, Larta Institute)

The Inter-University Technology Bundling Project, led by Loma Linda University and Larta Institute, is developing an infrastructure and system for identifying bundles of intellectual property from 19 universities in Southern California and matching the bundles to private sector companies that can beneficially commercialize the ideas. This is accomplished by leveraging an existing network of technology transfer offices at universities and research institutions (Network T2) whose goal is to overcome challenges in technology commercialization through collaboration. The program solicited problem sets from industry partners and recruited graduate student interns to research member patents for solutions to the identified problem sets. This resulted in the generation of 7 patent bundles, with each addressing a specific company-identified problem. The market-pull approach resulted in fewer than expected patent matches (i.e. technology solutions) from the Network T2 members and required an expansion of search scope to identify patent solutions outside Network T2. Currently, the program is being refined to incorporate a combination of market push and pull strategies. This is to be accomplished by first assessing the aggregate patent landscape within the Network T2 and subsequently identifying compatible corporate partners.

University of California, Davis
“PFI: Medical Technology Commercialization Clinic”
917945 Start Date:
PI: Pomeroy, Claire, claire.pomeroy@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
Co-PIs: Burger, Arnold (academic subawardee, Fisk University), Matthews, Dennis L., Smith, Warren D.
Lee, Gabriela (academic partner, UC Davis)
Adams, Cary M. (non-academic partner, Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance)

University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
“PFI: I SEE: Innovation through Synergistic Educational Engagement”
650251 Start Date: 2/15/2008
PI: Boult, Terrance, tboult@vast.uccs.edu
CoPI: Larson, Michael
Brown, Allison (industry partner)
Johnson, R. C. (student)

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project seeks to change the innovation education process by synergistically partnering with local small businesses, national laboratories and global educational partners so as to include significant innovative and entrepreneurial dimensions in both undergraduate and graduate education. The project will build a linked undergraduate and graduate program with outreach to industry. The model uses well designed teams of graduate and undergraduate students, a faculty mentor, and high school students to work with small businesses. The evaluation component of the project will develop a new measure, based on self-efficacy, to gage success in creating innovators and to potentially provide a new way to measure innovation education effectiveness. The project approach has two critical differentiators that make it viable and sustainable. By having innovation teams with graduate students and faculty to support the teams' knowledge-related questions, the innovation teams reduce the time/interaction demands on corporate partners to levels that small businesses will consider acceptable. Unlike internship programs, the team approach also provides continuity for the time scales necessary for end-to-end innovation. Secondly, in keeping with the concept of generating real value, the innovation teams will work with the partners to seek grants, other contract funding, and other forms of financial support for innovation to justify investments of time from the companies and to eventually provide sustaining funding. This project will have an impact on K-12 education and propose a model for innovation education that will be sustainable at a wide range of institutions, not just at the top 50 research schools. It will offer symposia to disseminate results to a wider audience. The project will also encourage and mentor women and members of underrepresented groups, engaging them with local companies where role-models can help maintain their excitement and commitment. Partners include the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (lead institution), Academy School District 20, NAVSYS Corporation, Colorado Engineering, Inc., SemQuest, Inc., Intelligent Payload Solutions, Inc., Atmel, and Securics, Inc.

University of Florida
“PFI: Center for Innovative Brain Machine Interfaces”
650161 Start Date: 3/1/2007
PI: Abernathy, Cammy, caber@mse.ufl.edu
CoPIs: Sander, Erik; Principe, Jose
Euliano, Neil R. (industry partner, Convergent Engineering; also former student of Jose Principe)
Craciun, Stefan (student)

This Partnerhships for Innovation (PFI) project seeks to create entrepreneurial activities around a well established research program in Brain Machine Interfaces at the University of Florida. Neural interfaces have the potential to revolutionize the present interface with computers and man-made appliances, as well as play a crucial role in rehabilitation medicine. Due to the novelty of this field, it is timely to invest now in entrepreneurial and innovative activities, because they provide the opportunity to leverage the innovations and intellectual property, mobilize investors, and develop lines of products that will guarantee self-sufficiency for the Center of Innovative Brain Machine Interfaces. Project collaborators within the university are the College of Engineering, McKnight Brain Institute (UFMBI), and Shands and VA Medical Centers. The College of Engineering has extensive experience in entrepreneurial and technology transfer programs and has created a successful undergraduate student training program designed around the concept of "virtual start-up" companies. Capitalizing on these two experiences, the Partnerships project proposes to restructure the ongoing research in Brain Machine Interfaces around technology test beds. The goal of this restructuring is translation of the research mission into core technologies and competencies with a wrapper of immersive, experimental entrepreneurship education for the graduate students that are engaged in the research. Specifically, six high-technology test beds (multi electrode arrays, ultra low power bio amplifiers, wireless delivery of data/power, portable DSP systems and algorithms, brain computer interfaces) will be created. Technology advances in neural interfaces will be accelerated. The broader impact will be felt at several levels: 1) this is a new educational experience since graduate students will be engaged in entrepreneurial activities while at the university; 2) a more transparent way of implementing technology transfer between universities and industry that can be widely applied is being prototyped; 3) the creation of a high tech industry in the state of Florida is being seeded; and 4) an underrepresented institution and minority students are being involved in hands-on courses that teach the technology components of an emerging industry. A plan has been outlined to make the center financially self-sufficient after the end of NSF support. Partners: Partners include University of Florida (Lead Institution); Florida International University in Miami, FL, a designated minority institution, where one of the test beds will reside; four Companies, which have joined the Industrial Board (Advanced Neuromodulation Systems (ANS), Convergent Engineering, Tucker-Davis Technologies, and Motorola Labs); Sid Martin Development Incubator; City of Gainesville Department of Economic Development; Gainesville Chamber of Commerce; Technology Enterprise Center of Gainesville, Alachua County; Inflexion Partners(Venture Capitalists); and Saliwanchik, Lloyd & Saliwanchik (law firm).

University of North Florida
“Florida's First Coast Manufacturing Innovation Partnership”
438582 Start Date: 10/15/2004
PI: Cox, Daniel, dcox@unf.edu
CoPIs: Coulter, Neal; Schonning, Alexandra
Wirth, Tina N. (non-academic partner, Cornerstone Regional Development Partnership)
Barnes, Sylvan E. (student)

The Florida's First Coast Manufacturing Innovation Partnership (MIP) Program serves as a catalyst for the high-technology growth sector of the Northeast Florida region while also enhancing the development of a scientifically and technologically savvy engineering workforce. Floridaâs First Coast MIP began soon after the School of Engineering expanded engineering undergraduate programs from electrical engineering to include mechanical engineering and civil engineering. The program has been developed to provide engineering undergraduate student opportunities in applied research and development engineering projects to create an experiential learning environment and to complement traditional learning modes in the engineering programs. The three primary goals of the MIP Program are: 1. To stimulate transformation of knowledge in design and manufacturing occurring in the academic domain to the applied research and development in the industrial field through project-centered innovations developed using a shared design and manufacturing resource for technology transfer, 2. To develop partnerships with the local public academic institutions with the common goal of producing students whose education satisfies the needs of the regional workforce with a more scientifically and technologically literate workforce trained with relevance to industry including mentorship to attract and retain engineering students for the future, and 3. To implement Floridaâs First Coast Manufacturing Innovation Partnership Program for long-term sustainability of technology transfer and creation of high-technology jobs in the engineering manufacturing and design professions. Students work in teams, primarily on-campus but also through visits to the sponsoring organizations. The sponsoring organizations are primarily regional industry and biomedical interests. A liaison engineer from a sponsoring organization serves as a point of contact for project-based learning information on the MIP projects. The liaison engineers periodically visit campus while faculty advisors mentor and engage with students on the experiential learning projects. Thus far 52 MIP students have been involved in 25 MIP projects. Note that this type of work experience is much different than the traditional engineering co-op or engineering internship experience. With the newly initiated Masters Program in engineering at UNF, opportunities for graduate students are also now taking place through the fruition of the MIP Program. While most projects have remained well-grounded to serve in regional industry and industrial sponsorship, some projects have incorporated national and international outreach with additional federally funded sponsorship. The underlying characteristics remain consistent, in particular, to provide the engineering students experiential learning opportunities for applied research and development in teaming projects to supplement their academic educational experiences.

University of Georgia & Research Foundation, Inc.
“PFI: Scaling a New Adaptive Peak for Cotton”
917856 Start Date: 7/15/2009
PI: Paterson, Andrew, paterson@uga.edu
CoPIs: Trolinder, Norma (academic partner, Texas Tech); Wright, Robert; Chee, Peng; Angle, Jay
Jones, Don (industry partner, Cotton Incorporated)

Toward a vision of US leadership for a global transition to bio-based products, we propose the development and implementation of genomic enabling tools needed to reinvigorate the infusion of genetic diversity into the cotton gene pool, providing environmentally benign solutions to the needs of producers, processors, and consumers. Cotton genome sequencing is proceeding rapidly, and the rationale for the proposed project is that the greatest challenge facing the cotton community is the conversion of sequence to knowledge. While the functions of perhaps half of the cotton genes can be deduced from comparison to botanical models, the greater complexity of the cotton genome than those of botanical models will require much new investment to realize the potential benefits of its sequencing. Creation of key enabling resources that can most efficiently be produced in the public domain is the focal point of our proposal. These resources will enable innovation by permitting researchers to identify specific genes that are likely to account for important features of the cotton plant, providing information needed by private partners to prioritize investments in development of value-added products. A distinguishing feature is our intellectual property plan, providing for the reservation of intellectual property rights that encourage investment while also tapping the creativity of public researchers as a âvirtual research and development networkâ for businesses that lack the critical mass to accomplish this goal alone.

University of Idaho
“PFI: Transforming Environmental and Physiological Assessments Using Fish Erythrocyte Gene Expression to Measure Responses”
917865 Start Date: 3/1/2010
PI: Hardy, Ronald, rhardy@uidaho.edu
CoPIs: McIver, John; Rodnick, Kenneth J.
Powell, Madison (academic partner, University of Idaho)
Rogers, Phil (non-academic partner, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fishery Commission, Manager Fish Science)
Hudson, Charles (non-academic partner, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fishery Commission, Public Information Office)

Purdue University
“PFI: Partnerships for Innovation in Laser-based Manufacturing and Materials Processing”
917936 Start Date: 9/1/2009
PI: Shin, Yung, shin@ecn.purdue.edu
CoPIs: Cao, Jian (academic partner, Northwestern University); Jamieson, Leah H.
Raines, Timothy E. (industry partner; Nanomics)
Wen, Shaoyi (student)

Purdue University
“PFI: 3DHub: A Geometric Kernel and Infrastructure for Community-based Rapid Application Development and Deployment”
917959 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: Ramani, Karthik, ramani@purdue.edu
CoPIs: Adams, George; Jamieson, Leah; Lundstrom, Mark

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project--a Type II (A:B) partnership within Purdue University, between the PFI graduated grantee (0227828) and participants from another NSF partnership supported program, Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN) (0228390/0634750)--seeks to change the way the knowledge supply chain for 3D algorithms, infrastructure development for 3D applications, and corresponding business models work. New and emerging technologies for creating digital data representation of objects such as 3D laser scanners, 3D cameras, computer-aided design systems, and cryo-microscopy have resulted in the creation of large amounts of "unstructured 2D and 3D geometric data." This project will enable knowledge that is embedded in the data to be extracted and made usable. This project will develop basic algorithms needed as well as the computing infrastructure to support it. Because the 3DHub(TM)has the ability to influence the creation, distribution, and maintenance of the applications through shared resources, it can transform businesses fundamentally. Technology, once a tool for business strategy, now has become a driver of business strategy. A 3D Geometric Kernel supported by an easy to use Grid Infrastructure will provide a competitive advantage for companies to conceive, create, as well as develop and distribute, products and services in new ways. This will transform the way geometry-dependent business models will be conceptualized and how they operate in many sectors including surgery, proteomics, manufacturing, and education. Additional research in geometry dependent fields will also progress much faster through the affected business communities. In this project, a technology push designed to increase access and use by industry in ways that might open up new markets and opportunities might also in turn feedback into discovery research. Partners at the inception of the project are an Academic Institution: Purdue University (lead institution), including participation of members in Mechanical Engineering and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Private Sector Organizations: Peyton Manning Children's Hospital, Redding Industries, VCom3D, and Imaginestics; Federal Government Laboratory: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Kansas State University
“PFI: Kansas Bioprocessing Science and Engineering Center”
917984 Start Date: 3/1/2010
PI: Kramer, Bradley, bradleyk@ksu.edu
CoPIs: Freeman, Lisa; Madl, Ronald; Petrovic, Zoran S.; Trewyn, Ron W.

Louisiana Tech University
“PFI: Venture Enhancement Teams (VETs) for Commercialization of University Intellectual Property”
650130 Start Date: 2/15/2008
PI: Guice, Leslie, guice@latech.edu
CoPIs: Pratt, Jon D.; Kordal, Rich; Nelson, James D.
Dhanani, Alnoor K. (student)

University of Maine
“PFI: Commercialization of Advanced Composites in Offshore Wind Energy”
917974 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: Ward, James S., jsward@maine.edu
CoPIs: Lindyberg, Robert F; Dagher, Habib
Martin, Heather (student)

Rationale: The recent price volatility of fossil fuels has severely impacted the state of Maine, where 80% of homes are heated with oil. Since 2000, the price of heating oil has risen from $1 to more than $4 per gallon. It is projected to reach $10 a barrel by 2020, putting the annual home heating cost at $10,000; or 25% of Maineâs median household income. This challenge exists through out the Northeast, the region most heavily dependant on fossil fuel heating. Vision: The state of Maine has recognized the current and growing crisis of dependence on foreign energy sources, and through the office of the Governor has directed the University of Maine to take a lead on developing a comprehensive plan to tap into offshore wind resources. Offshore wind is Maineâs largest renewable energy source, with up to 100 GW of energy potential identified by NREL in the Gulf of Maine. However, the majority of this wind resource exists in water greater than 60 meters in depth, requiring the development of floating offshore wind turbine platforms. Platform concepts have been developed by NREL and others. However, these designs are based on floating oil platforms designed to resist wave loads from extreme sea states. Unlike oil rigs, wind turbine platforms have a substantial sail area, requiring that they withstand combined wind (aeroelastic) and wave (hydrodynamic) loading. Working with MIT and others, NREL has developed coupled aeroelastic/hydrodynamic load models, but has not experimentally validated these. This lack of an experimentally-validated load model is a substantial barrier to Maineâs plan to develop offshore wind energy. Further, new critically-enabling composite technology has been developed by AEWC under DoD and FHWA-funded research. Called Rapid-Formed Composite Structures (RFCS), this technology eliminates expensive tooling and time-consuming labor from composites manufacturing, and will significantly reduce platform construction and deployment costs. The patent pending technology can be easily commercialized by Maine and US composites manufacturers. Proposed Activities: To accelerate the development and deployment of floating offshore wind turbine platforms, UMaineâs interdisciplinary research center â the AEWC Advanced Structures and Composites Center â will lead an Innovation Team including the following partners: (1) Academic Institutions -- Maine Maritime Academy; (2) National Laboratories -- NREL's National Wind Technology Center; and (3) Private Organizations -- Maine Composites Alliance and the Cianbro Corp. In the first year, the Innovation Team will focus on the development of a scale-model test program that will accomplish the following objectives: (a) experimentally validate the NREL computer loading models, and (b) refine and demonstrate new RFCS composite technology. In the second year, the Innovation Team will fabricate a partial-scale floating wind turbine platform using RFCS, and will test this platform in a wave tank. Test data will be compared to NREL model outputs, and if necessary the models will be revised. The validated computer load models will then be in the public domain, which should significantly accelerate the development of floating offshore wind turbine platforms in Maine and elsewhere. Distinguishing Features: The proposed project assembles a highly-qualified Innovation Team that will leverage prior federally-funded research, and combine this with private sector expertise to accelerate much needed innovation in offshore wind energy development, with the goal of delivering installed windpower capacity at a cost that is competitive with existing technology (e.g. natural gas and nuclear). Intellectual Merit: The proposed research addresses the development of key knowledge (validated load models) and technology (RFCS) that does not currently exist for this application, and is critical to the development of offshore wind energy. Broader Economic & Societal Impacts: The drastic energy crisis facing Maine and the US requires new strategies and innovations. Floating offshore wind platform technology will achieve the three-fold benefit of (1) reducing reliance on foreign energy sources, (2) developing renewable, carbon-free energy source, and (3) creating domestic manufacturing and service jobs focused on offshore wind energy.

University of Maine, Machias
“PFI: Developing Infrastructure for Innovation in Downeast Maine: Using Place- and Inquiry-Based Marine Science Education to Build a K-12 STEM Pipeline”
917787 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: Beal, Brian, bbeal@maine.edu
CoPIs: Markow, David P.; White, Susan; Sprangers, Sherrie A; Swain, Stuart G.; White, Susan
Bartlett, Christopher (academic partner, Maine Sea Grant, University of Maine, Orono)
Munson, David (academic partner, Education Center Director, Downeast Institute)

The downeast coast of Maine is stunningly beautiful with its spruce and fir-covered islands, jagged granite ledges, deep blue-green cold water, fishing villages dotting protected coves and embayments along a working waterfront, and a rich history of utilizing the seemingly endless and vast array of marine resources that drive the coastal economy. The geographic location is a double-edged sword, however. This region is geographically isolated from the more heavily populated towns and communities in southern Maine, it has the lowest population density of any coastal county in Maine and New England, and has the highest unemployment and poverty rates of any county in Maine. Historically, governors, legislators, town officials, and even its residents have looked outside the region for economic help. We think that the innovation economy can play a pivotally important role in this area, but that to develop the human and physical infrastructure we must begin by encouraging our youth to enter science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The coast, with its diversity of habitats, species, and fisheries has been largely ignored in our K-12 schools. Our effort will be to create curricular tools for local teachers and their students that are both place- and inquiry-based that focuses on the marine environment â the life-blood of these coastal communities. Through teacher workshops, hands-on, field-based projects with students and teachers, summer camps, and informal mentoring, we will encourage and pique the scientific curiosity of coastal youth. This effort will enhance the number of young people in our region entering STEM fields in college and beyond.

Montgomery College, Rockville
“Montgomery Bioscience Park”
332687 Start Date: 6/1/2004
PI: Pinkney, Hercules, hpinkney@mc.cc.md.us
CoPI: Michaelian, Katherine or Latimer, Margaret (Montgomery College)

The vision for the Montgomery Bioscience Education and Business Park is to create an innovative bioscience education and training continuum from middle school to post-doctoral studies in conjunction with a business enterprise park on the Montgomery College Germantown Campus (College). This proposal’s rationale is based on a dynamic model to meet the education and workforce development needs of the region’s burgeoning biotechnology industry by teaming higher education with a bioscience business park dedicated to innovative research and development. This business and education partnership will ensure a broad and diverse pipeline of highly skilled workers at the technician, baccalaureate, and terminal degree levels who have the requisite skills and knowledge for the rapidly changing biotechnology workplace.

The Montgomery Bioscience Education and Business Park offers solid intellectual merit through:

1. Generation and testing of best practices for bioscience education and training;
2. Contribution to the bioscience knowledge base through research and development partnerships with the College, other higher education institutions, industry and government; and
3. Development and implementation of models for productive financial public-private collaborations characterized by synergistic relationships among the College, industry and government.

Five broader, sustained impacts are anticipated outcomes of this proposal:

1. Development of innovative, experiential curricula for secondary school and college bioscience programs;
2. Provision of infrastructure to promote bioscience technology transfer and commercialization;
3. Creation of employment opportunities for bioscience graduates including underrepresented groups;
4. Creation of opportunities for research scientists in Federal laboratories and new biotech enterprises; and
5. Creation of business management training and opportunities for career scientists.

This proposal is distinguished by its favorable location, including world-class knowledge resources and bioscience enterprises. The College’s Germantown Campus, in Montgomery County, Maryland, is located at the epicenter of research, development, and innovation in biotechnology. The infrastructure for innovation is already strong: the County is home to 19 federal agencies, including numerous research and development laboratories (NIH, NIST, and FDA among others), as well as research centers associated with universities. The County has the third largest concentration of biotechnology firms in the nation. The metropolitan Washington area has the nation’s highest concentration of science doctorates. The proposed one million sq ft bioscience business park and 30,000 sq ft business incubator on Campus will maximize synergistic business/education opportunities.

The Montgomery Bioscience Education and Business Park will ensure successful knowledge transfer and continued innovation through strategic programs which will:

1. Create a network of visiting scientists to provide symposia for K-12 teachers, College faculty and others;
2. Develop externships for College faculty in the region’s biotechnology industry and Federal research labs;
3. Establish biotech academies for high school students sustained through industry involvement;
4. Develop bioscience curricula and articulation continuum responsive to rapidly evolving industry needs;
5. Attract and promote expansion of start-up and spin-off enterprises through creation of qualified workforce;
6. Create best practices demonstration site for biotech education and training with experiential learning; and
7. Support biotech leaders based in business park through collaboration with College faculty.

University of Maryland, Baltimore County
“PFI: ACTiVATE at NIH Program”
917985 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: Simmons, Gregory, gsimmons@umbc.edu
CoPIs: Auvil, Stephen; Armor, Vivian; Fink, David; Hemmerly, Ellen
Nichols, Cherie (academic partner, subawardee, Montgomery College)

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) has partnered with the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School (JHU) and others to develop the INNoVATE™ program – an applied entrepreneurial training and support program focused on starting companies based on technologies developed at regional federal laboratories and universities. The INNoVATE™ program builds on the success of the internationally recognized ACTiVATE® program, which was developed by UMBC under a previous PFI award. While the ACTiVATE® program was specifically focused on training mid-career women to commercialize technologies from universities in the State of Maryland, the INNoVATE™ program focuses on training post-doctoral fellows (postdocs) in the final year of their fellowship to start companies based on technologies from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal labs in Maryland. Following the program model, postdocs partner with individuals from the business community and select technologies that have been identified and screened from regional technology transfer offices. These individuals follow a yearlong, applied training program, which has been designed to address the specific needs of postdocs. In addition to lectures, guest speakers, and project work, the training includes mentoring, access to advisor networks, and access to other resources in the region that are valuable to entrepreneurs. The INNoVATE™ program will generate a community of well-trained entrepreneurs that will foster economic development and technology transfer activities. The program also provides new career opportunities for postdocs, who often need to consider alternative career paths after completing their fellowships. The goal of the program during its first three years is to train 45 postdocs and 45 business people to commercialize technologies from the NIH and other regional federal labs and to start 10-12 technology-based companies in Maryland.

Tufts University
“PFI: Whatever Happened to Long Term Bridge Design?”
650258 Start Date: 1/15/2008
PI: Sanayei, Masoud, masoud.sanayei@tufts.edu
CoPI: Abriola, Linda
Brenner, Brian (business partner; practicing engineer)
Sipple, Jesse (student)

Whatever Happened to Long-Term Bridge Design? Advances in structural analysis, instrumentation, data management, and reporting make it feasible to reconsider alternate approaches for bridge design. A new procedure can incorporate development of a "baseline" bridge model that can be used for structural health monitoring (SHM) of the bridge over its lifetime. Regular and effective use of SHM for bridges can provide more objective data on bridge conditions over time and lead to improved maintenance for more efficient use of limited resources. This approach has great promise at a time of aging infrastructure and limited funds for maintenance and repair. As the research team enters the second year of this project, there have been many changes throughout the past year. A bridge was obtained, constructed, instrumented, and a load test was performed. Now the efforts of the research team are focused on data processing, analysis, and comparison with computer based structural models. The target bridge is the Vernon Avenue Bridge over the Ware River in Barre, MA. The bridge was constructed during most of 2009, finishing in September 2009. The research team successfully deployed an instrumentation plan during the construction phase of the project. Steel girders were instrumented in the High Steel Structures Inc. fabrication yard prior to placement at the bridge. The data acquisition system and remaining instrumentation was installed during the construction period after girder placement. Additional sensors were embedded concrete thermistors as well as installation of tiltmeters and accelerometers on bridge steel girders. The system was up and running to capture strain data during the pour of the concrete deck. The instrumentation plan was then completed and a load test was performed on 3 September 2009. Since then the data has been processed and is currently being compared against the response from two computer based structural models created in SAP2000®. The research team hopes that this project will show the benefits of having an instrumentation plan that can be easily and seamlessly deployed during the construction phase to gain insight into the structural health of a bridge for years to come. The coordination between researchers and government agencies will show how this can actually be used in future bridge projects to increase the safety of the general public and effectiveness of their tax dollars by having a more cost and time effective process to determine the health of a core asset in the nationâs infrastructure. This project will also give insight into researchers and academics on how structural parameter estimation and model updated can be done on a structural model of a full scale, in-service bridge with several data sets collected from various types of measurements.

University of Massachusetts, Amherst
“PFI: Innovation in Precision Manufacturing: New Technology to New Business”
917943 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: Capistran, James, capistran@polysci.umass.edu
CoPIs: Hsu, Shaw Ling; Henry Renski, Malone, Michael; Krishnamurty, Sundar
Kalish, Jeffrey P. (student)

University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
“PFI: Development of Fiber-based Technology for Creating New Opportunities in Economically-depressed Northeastern US”
650163 Start Date: 2/15/2008
PI: Sengupta, Sukalyan, ssengupta@umassd.edu
CoPIs: Warner, Steven; Sengupta, Arup; Patra, Prabir; Peck, Robert E.
Birchard, Tom (business partner, Elmarco, Inc.)
Jassal, Manisha (student)

Pine Technical College
“Simulating the Visual Appearance and Physical Application of Automotive Surface Finishes”
438693 Start Date: 2/1/2005
PI: Heckman, John, heckmanj@pinetech.edu
CoPIs: Meyer, Gary W.; Musgrove, Robert L.

This project combines the resources of cutting-edge computer graphics research at the University of Minnesota, DuPont Performance Coatings, the nation's largest manufacturer of automotive refinishing paints and products, and Pine Technical College (a unit of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities) a successful producer of virtual reality (VR) based training simulations to produce effective new simulation-based training tools for the automotive collision repair industry. Not only does this project leverage past development and synergize particular partner strengths, it will produce development capacities for broad future applications in diverse arenas and has the support of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The intellectual merits of this project include: Adaptation and application of new computer graphics and simulation research in the improvement of existing proven VR-based training tools; New research into the convergence of paint development technology and realistic computer rendering of the resulting colors and attributes, and its application to new real-world training tools to meet difficult training challenges; Development of new curriculum materials to enhance the training benefits of new and existing simulation-based training tools; Provision of research opportunities through which students may apply their skills to challenging and practical design and implementation tasks; Strengthening and broadening the capabilities of both the Johnson Center for Virtual Reality at Pine Technical College and the Digital Technology Center at the University of Minnesota. Broader Impacts: Producing economic benefits, through new commercial products and intellectual property, by increasing the efficiency of a significant market sector, by minimizing environmental impacts through worker training, and by reducing collision insurance costs nationwide; Capitalizing on shared interests of academe and the private sector, by leveraging existing research and development at all three partners into innovative and powerful training products; Strengthening of innovation capabilities at academic institutions, by improving, leveraging, and diversifying existing simulation and VR tools at Pine Technical College and the University of Minnesota, supporting and enlarging the Johnson Center for Virtual Reality at Pine Technical College and the Digital Technology Center at the University of Minnesota, and by building cooperative relationships between faculty, staff and programs at both research and technical nodes on the academic spectrum; Creation and validation of new models that integrate research and education capacity, by strengthening the new collaborative bond between Pine Technical College and the University of Minnesota; Fostering and sustaining long-term innovation, since this project will produce benefits and products applicable to a wide range of additional market sectors, including, for example, military coating application training, and learning/demonstration kiosks for end consumers at do-it-yourself home/hardware centers.

University of Southern Mississippi
“PFI: A Multinational Partnership to Incite Innovation via New Generation Tailored Polymers for Interfaces”
917730 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: Lochhead, Robert, Robert.Lochhead@usm.edu
CoPIs: Burge, Cecil D; Graben, Joseph; Patton, Derek; Morgan, Sarah E.
McConaughy, Shawn D. (industry partner, Proctor and Gamble)
Anderson, Laura (student)

The Multinational Partnership to Incite Innovation has been centered around the development of Robotic High throughput formulation (HTF) and the education of a workforce to conduct HTF. Basic HTF instrumentation and techniques were existing in the Lochhead Lab at Southern Mississippi from a prior NSF grant and industrial funding. A new purpose-designed lab was built to conduct High Throughput Formulation. This lab was funded by the Department of Commerce and the State of Mississippi. It was opened in the middle of March 2010 and the first robotic instruments will be operational by April 1, 2010. Students have received instruction on the operation of these instruments. Due to the recession, our original plans to collaborate on instrumentation with Chemspeed have been stalled - but we expect that Chemspeed will participate in year 2. In the meantime we received substantial donations of state-of-the art robotic equipment (valued at $200,000 from Procter & Gamble and a new microchannel technology from Velocys (Valued at >$100,00) for the initial equipping of our lab. The project with Procter & Gamble has gone well from the start-- initially the focus has been on introducing students to the concepts and the skills required. The students are now being productive and, indeed, they won 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes for posters describing their new methodology at the Waterborne Conference in New Orleans in February. Start-up with Glaxo Smith Kline and DSM has been delayed by the recession but it is proceeding now and the scientists in these companies are engaged with us and new projects have been defined. Start-up with Dow and BASF was delayed by major acquisitions that involved relocation of our collaborators. That phase is also behind us and we have defined projects that fit within the PFI framework. In all of these cases project teams have been communicating every 2 weeks by teleconference. This will be consolidated by student internships in the respective companies this summer. All of the students in the PFI have been accepted as 2010 summer interns with their respective companies. This summer, teachers will come into the spaces vacated by these students to prepare as instructors for next year's summer program for junior college student and high school students. The most important thing that I have learned so far is that PI persistence can overcome recession induced inertia on the part of both State Institutions and industry. We already have other potential partners' requests to join our PFI and we intend to admit them during the next academic year.

University of Missouri, Kansas City
“PFI: From Whiteboard to Boardroom: Creating Innovation Infrastructure in Institutions with Modest R & D Funding”
917988 Start Date:
PI: MacQuarrie, Ronald, rmacquarrie@umkc.edu
CoPis: Duffey, Donna; Whittaker, Gregg; Baxendale, James; Truman, Kevin
Meyers, Maria E. (UMKC Center)
Prine, Kevin (non-academic partner, Tradebot Venture)
Luna, Jay (student)

“PFI: Innovation Acceleration Partnerships”
650294 Start Date: 12/15/2007
PI: Harrington, Kenneth, harrington@wustl.edu
CoPIs: Mellitz, Marcia; Nichols, Michael F; Peck, William A.; Wickline, Samuel A.
Boyet-Grubbs, Amy (industry partner, Due Diligence Biogenerator)
Rehani, Kunal (student)
Rone, Rebecca (fellow)

Montana State University
“PFI: Remote Detection of Chemicals Associated with Clandestine Drug Labs”
917992 Start Date: 3/1/2010
PI: Babbitt, Randall, babbitt@physics.montana.edu
CoPIs: Holian, Andrij; Martyny, John W.; Spangler, Lee H.
Friesenhahn, Ray P. (academic partner, Montana State University TechLink Center)
Anderson, Aaron (student)

Creighton University
“PFI: An Interdisciplinary University-Based Education Partnership to Support Biomedical Technology Commercialization in Nebraska”
650233 Start Date: 2/15/2008
PI: Hendrickson, Anthony, AnthonyHendrickson@Creighton.edu
CoPIs: York, Anne; Borchers, Patrick J.; Enarson, Cam E.; Fenicle, Lee I.
Recker, Amy (non-academic partner, Executive Director of BioNebraska, an association of bioscience firms)
Kelly, Steven M. (student)

Stevens Institute of Technology
“PFI: Stevens Environmental Entrepreneurship Program”
650279 Start Date: 1/15/2008
PI: McCusker, Lex, lex.mccusker@stevens.edu
CoPI: Becker, Kurt; Christodoulatos, Christos; Lechler, Thomas
Magee, Richard S. (industry partner, New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology)
Cusack, John L. (non-academic partner, Gifford Park Associates)
Riggle, Daniel R. (student)

University of New Mexico
“PFI: A Consortium of Fulldome and Immersive Technology Development”
917919 Start Date:
PI: Sen, Pradeep, psen@ece.unm.edu
CoPIs: Angel, Edward S.; Filemyr, Ann; Kniss, Joe M.; Beining, David J.
Guerin, Stephen (business partner, Santa Fe Complex)

Rochester Institute of Technology
“PFI: Information Products Laboratory for Emergency Response”
917839 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: Boyd, Donald, donald.boyd@rit.edu
CoPIs: Vodacek, Anthony; Renschler, Christian; van Aardt, Jan
McKeown, Donald M. (academic partner, RIT, Imaging Center)
Collins, Heather A. (student)

SUNY, Albany
“PFI: The Collaboration for Leveraging Energy and Nanotechnology (CLEAN) Project”
917899 Start Date: 3/1/2010
PI: Haldar, Pradeep, phaldar@uamail.albany.edu
CoPI: Kaloyeros, Alain E.; Norton, Roger (academic partner, Marist College)
Riley, Emily (former student)

The Collaboration for Leveraging Energy and Nanotechnology (CLEAN) focuses on specific efforts that include: 1) fostering of extensive information exchange amongst industry, university, and government stakeholders; 2) expanding knowledge transfer through the Nanotech Innovation in Renewable Energy (NIRE) efforts; and 3) creating a workforce development program based on industry needs. These activities, managed by the Energy and Environmental Technology Application Center (E2TAC) at the College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering, accelerate the integration of nanotechnology in alternative energy technologies among businesses located in the Tech Valley Region of Upstate New York. Drawing on cutting edge research in nanotechnology and the capability of many of the nation's leading advanced energy technology businesses that utilize nanotechnology, the project provides increased organization and coordination that is needed to share and communicate the industry's most pressing needs to academia and to transfer the most appropriate technologies from academia to industry. Through its outreach and Energy Innovation Camp, the project will present to the public and key stakeholders from legislators to high school students the importance, challenges, and opportunities of developing clean energy technologies. Through its Energy Test Farm, the project will provide an opportunity for workforce training and education by facilitating competency to develop, install, maintain, and service high tech energy related equipment such as solar cells, fuel cells, and energy efficiency devices through established training programs. The ability to provide this expertise to manufacturing and end-user organizations will serve to accelerate deployment of these new technologies. In addition, E2TAC will expand its incubator to better serve companies in the areas surrounding the New York State Capital Region, with a focus on clean energy research and development.

SUNY, Stony Brook
“PFI: Consortium for Spectroscopic Sensor Systems (CoS3): An Integrated Systematic and Entreprenerial Approach to Engineering Education”
917956 Start Date: 3/1/2010
PI: Luryi, Serge, serge@ece.sunysb.edu;
CoPIs: Tang, K. Wendy; Kamoua, Ridha; Yacov, Shamash; Wolf, Gerrit
Gmachi, Claire (academic partner, subawardee, Princeton University)

In this project, two major research centers in New York (Stony Brook University) and New Jersey (Princeton University) joined forces to form a consortium in spectroscopic sensor systems. We aim at promoting the technology and foster engineering entrepreneurship in the general area of sensing and detection. Our vision is to use spectroscopic sensor systems as an exciting, far-reaching, multidisciplinary technological "pull" that will inspire engineering students. The consortium will create a community for students, faculty, small business and professional engineers to be exposed to the different facets of spectroscopic sensor systems, such as modern sensor designs and applications, integrated circuits, embedded systems, sensor networks, digital signal processing, semiconductor devices, and even gamma radiation! To fully utilize the strengths of both institutions and to eliminate the geographical barrier, courses and workshops for this community will be offered via a distance learning and online approach. Furthermore, entrepreneurial teams (E-Teams) of students will be formed as part of the senior design (capstone) programs of both institutions. These E-teams will use spectroscopic technology for some innovative remote sensing and monitoring applications. A business plan competition as well as a technical demonstration is expected for these E-Teams during their annual competition.

Syracuse University
“PFI: Wireless Grid Innovation Testbed”
917973 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: McKnight, Lee, lmcknigh@syr.edu
CoPIs: Bose, Tamal; Kingma, Bruce; Watters, Craig; Wong, Peter Y. (Tufts University)
Andrews, John (industry partner, CEO, Wireless Grids)
Treglia, Joe (student)

North Carolina State University
“Predictive Tools for Sustainable Solid Waste Management Using Bioreactor Landfills”
538500 Start Date: 2/1/2006
PI: Barlaz, Morton, barlaz@eos.ncsu.edu
CoPs: Martin-Vega, Louis; Benson, Craig (academic partner, University of Wisconsin, Madison)
Bareither, Christopher A. (student)

This proposal will result in the formation of a partnership between the largest private sector solid waste companies, the engineering community, regulatory authorities, and academia that will ensure the applicability of the results (see appendix for supporting letters). Three thrust areas have been identified where research can directly contribute to improvements in bioreactor technology by reducing cost and increasing predictability: (1) landfill hydrology, (2) solids decomposition, and (3) settlement prediction. In landfill hydrology, research will be conducted to understand flow patterns and residence times for leachate and other liquids injected into landfills. This research is needed to develop operational guidelines for leachate injection and to evaluate the behavior of liquid waste streams that may be added to bioreactor landfills. Work on solids decomposition will relate fundamental information on the biodegradation of individual waste components to settlement and airspace recovery, as well as improve the accuracy of national greenhouse gas inventories. Finally, a predictive model will be developed that relates moisture, solids decomposition, and waste settlement that will improve the predictability of airspace utilization, the industryâs ultimate metric. In all areas, fundamental laboratory-scale studies are tightly coupled to models and field-scale work at bioreactor landfills operated by industrial partners.

Wake Forest University
“PFI: Creating Academic Community Partnerships: Fostering Innovation and Entretreneurship in a Liberal Arts Institution”
650282 Start Date: 12/15/2007
PI: Gatewood, Elizabeth, gatewoej@wfu.edu
CoPI: Fetrow, Jacquelyn
Knauss, Troy D. (industry partner, Guardian Partners)
Lan, Lucy (student)

Case Western Reserve University
“PFI: Technology Innovation Program: Enhancing Biotech Translational Research Among NE Ohio Institutions”
917940 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: Duerk, Jeffre L., duerk@case.edu
CoPIs: Crago, Patrick E.; Abrahamson, Alexis R. Tien, Norman; Zelesnik, Kelly
Wnek, Gary E. (academic partner, Case Western Reserve University)
Corwin, Erin M. (non-academic partner, Innovation Fund & Work-Based Learning Specialist, Lorraine County Community College)

This National Science Foundation awarded Partnership for Innovation (PFI) project is collaboratively engaging Lorain County Community College (LCCC), JumpStart TechLift Advisors and the lead institution, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) to foster the translation of biotechnology research into commercial products. The PFI is linking faculty members, students and the business community with different but complementary skill sets, bringing the discovery process of the university together with the workforce development mission of a community college and aligning institutional activities with regional economic development needs. Our approach consists of applying a disciplined commercial innovation process to five to eight innovation projects funded at a level of $5,000-$40,000 each that have originated from CWRU research. In particular, each one year innovation project is required to develop a proposed work plan comprised of, for example, a market analysis, business plan, timetable, reporting schedules and projected milestones to achieve various "proof-of-concept" technical and business goals. Biotechnology, a regional strength, is the focus of each innovation project; however research emanating from any of the science or engineering disciplines with biotechnology relevance will qualify. Each innovation project is required to create an innovation team comprised of: an experienced entrepreneur-in-residence (the "CEO"), a faculty member from CWRU (the "CTO"), a faculty member from LCCC (the "Director of Engineering"), a commercialization associate from The Institute for Management and Engineering (TIME) at CWRU (the "Director of Marketing" or the "COO"), a technology associate from LCCC (the "Product Specialist") and additional students from CWRU and/or LCCC (the "Engineering Staff"). Relationship managers (RMs) at both LCCC and CWRU will initially serve as "headhunters" to find appropriate students for the specified CA and TA roles identified above. Subsequently, these relationship managers will serve as "coaches" through the engagement period providing critical feedback and helping the students as needed. Our general hypothesis underlying the proposed PFI program is that an investment in the partnership among the constituents will enhance innovation initiation within the NE Ohio biotechnology cluster. Metrics such as tracking of start-up formation, licensing, follow-on funding, external entrepreneurial involvement, external corporate interest, student engagement and career path choices, etc. will be used to measure success of the overall PFI program.

University of Toledo
“PFI: An Innovative Model for a New Advanced Energy Workforce”
917981 Start Date: 8/1/2009
PI: Calzonetti, Frank, frank.calzonetti@utoledo.edu
CoPIs: Waldock, Mary; Harf, Jane
Traband, Margie A. (student)

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project is a Type III (A:C) partnership between University of Toledo, an NSF PFI graduate (0227899), and several institutions new to the PFI Program (defined as ones that have never been PFI grantees): Central State University, Hocking College, Lakeland Community College, Owens Community College, and Terra Community College. The project seeks to create a model for developing courses, certification programs, stackable certificates, and associate degree programs throughout the State of Ohio in advanced energy. Ohio universities, under the leadership of the Governor's Energy Advisor, banded together to form the University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio in 2007 to promote advanced energy research. In addition, the state has leading alternative energy companies and a renewable energy portfolio standard that promise job opportunities for the future. A ready and trained workforce is needed to support renewable energy companies as well as trained and ready trades people to install solar, wind, and other systems. The project involves university research and incubation centers to provide guidance for the development of new courses and programs in anticipation of the development and commercialization of new energy systems (e.g., rooftop building integrated PV systems. The project will bring new knowledge on advanced energy technologies to community and technical colleges so that new courses and programs can be developed. It will develop a statewide model for university engagement to transform an "old industrial region" into a leader in a new technology intensive industry. The project draws upon the experience of a previously successful PFI project as well as the statewide support of the primary organizational partner, University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio. The project aims to take Ohio universities toward a more "developmental role" in transforming the statewide economy and creating high paying job opportunities. The project involves Central State University, an HBCU, and gives special attention to developing opportunities for participation of underrepresented groups. The results of the project will be broadly disseminated in Ohio and nationally through presentations, press releases, involvement of state leaders, and professional and technical publications. Partners at the inception of the project are Academic Institutions: University of Toledo (lead institution), Central State University, Hocking College, Lakeland Community College, Owens Community College, Terra Community College, and Bowling Green State University; Private Sector (Industry) : Advanced Energy Generation, Engineered Process Systems, FirstEnergy, First Solar, North Coast Wind and Power, Solar Fields (Calyxo), WIRE-Net (Great Lakes Wind Network) and Xunlight; Private Sector (Non Profit): University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio; and State Government: Ohio Board of Regents.

Oklahoma State University
“PFI : Manufacturing Innovation & Revitalization Partnership: Universities, Manufacturers, Government & K-12 Teachers (MIRP)”
917808 Start Date:
PI: Tilley, Daniel, daniel.tilley@okstate.edu
CoPIs: McKeever, Stephen W.S.; Stansberry, Susan L.; Tilak, Arun; Vaidyanathan, Ranji K.
Chandler, Anthony (industry partner, Wilco)
Ramseyer, Ryan (student)

Manufacturing Innovation and Revitalization Partnerships: Universities, Manufacturers, Government and K-12 Teachers (MIRP). MIRP is a pilot project to demonstrate innovation education and implementation for the U.S. manufacturing sector. MIRP integrates three programs that address and evaluate innovation education and implementation in manufacturing, universities and K-12 education. 1. The Manufacturers Innovation Leadership Program (MILP) is designed for managers who have leadership potential within small- and mediums-sized manufacturing (SMMs) firms. MILP participants will learn how to lead manufacturing innovation, write and critique SBIR proposals, work with NSF innovation scholar teams from the university, and mentor K-12 teachers who will teach about innovation and careers in manufacturing. 2. The Presidential Innovation and Creativity Scholars (PICS) program will create multi-disciplinary teams of senior college students and faculty who will product and process innovation projects with small manufacturers participating in MILP. Business, engineering, chemistry, physics, and other science majors, communications, and graphic design students will participate on the teams. 3. The Innovation Program for Teachers (IPT) provides K-12 teachers to take an internet-delivered class on manufacturing innovation. The class will provide the teachers with lesson plans to teach K-12 (particularly grades 9-12) students about creativity and innovation. MILP participants and NSFIS will serve as resources and mentors for the teachers.

University of Oregon, Eugene
“PFI: Oregon Technology Entrepreneurship Consortium”
650352 Start Date: 8/1/2007
PI: Linton, Richard W., rlinton@oregon.uoregon.edu
CoPIs: Meyer, Alan E.; Adams, Ronald L; Howard, Dennis
Sebastian, Terry E. (industry partner)
Earle, Andrew G. (student)

Oregon State University
“PFI: Oregon State University Oregon Commercialization Initiative”
917948 Start Date: 3/1/2010
PI: Adams, Ronald L., ronald.lynn.adams@orst.edu
CoPIs: Tanous, Joseph F., Appleyard, Melissa M.; Mayaram, Kartikeya.; Wiltbank, Robert E.
Brittain, Jack W. (academic partner, University of Utah)
Tripathi, Sanjai (student)

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project--a Type III (C:A) partnership between Oregon State University (OSU), an institution new to the PFI Program (defined as one that has never been a PFI grantee), and Portland State University, an NSF PFI graduate (0438736--seeks to build upon the Western Innovation Initiative (WII), a pilot program which is underway, in order to catalyze commercialization efforts in Oregon by leveraging lessons learned and existing assets such as the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) so as to create a broader program with greater impact. ONAMI and OTRADI are resources for the "physical" and "technical" aspects of commercializing an invention; they enable the building and testing of prototypes. The development and implementation of a plan that brings an invention to market needs an additional resource, the intervention of experienced business entrepreneurs. OSUs model for screening and incubating new business opportunities from laboratory concepts addresses many of the roadblocks associated with university commercialization. One of the features of the model is the early direct involvement of seasoned entrepreneurs. Indeed, the full panoply of pertinent non-academic players are to be brought onto the university campus and protocols for interaction with, and education of researchers, students, and administrators will be implemented, studied, and further developed. So far, more startups have been created in the two years of the pilot program than had been created in the history of OSU.

WII will accelerate the development of an entrepreneurial culture at several research universities. The research team and business students will study the impact of WII and publish their findings. Thus WII will advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning. WII will enhance the infrastructure for research and education by supporting the efforts of researchers to commercialize their discoveries. In so doing, it will enable the Oregon universities to recruit and retain better students and better professors. The proposed activity will benefit society by generating jobs, creating wealth, and improving both the standard of living and the quality of life in the Pacific Northwest. WII will create tool kits which will enable universities to replicate its achievements in other regions.

Partners at the inception of the project are Academic Institutions: Oregon State University (OSU) (lead institution), Portland State University (PSU), Willamette University, University of Oregon, Arizona State University, University of Washington, and University of Utah; Private Sector Organizations: Bend Research Inc.; Buerk Dale Victor LLC; Hewlett-Packard; Intel; Marger, Johnson & McCollom, P.C.; Northwest Technology Ventures, LP; Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN); and The Partners Group; Preston, KL Gates LLP; and Public Sector Organizations: Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI), Oregon Translation Research and Drug Development Institute (OTRADI), University of Utah nanofab facility), University of Utah Medical Core Research Facilities, University of Washington Research Centers, Arizona State University Research Centers, and Arizona State University Research Park.

Crucial to the success of WII is the following: The partnering universities propose to create a not-for-profit institute that incorporates unique infrastructural elements developed by the partners. Understanding what it takes to create, organize, and manage such a not-for-profit institution will ultimately enable not only the expansion of WII to other institutions, but it will also enable the porting of these successful programs to other clusters of academic institutions. The required elements include the following:

Resources
- All that are required to commercialize new technologies emerging from universities: experienced Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs) who have demonstrated significant expertise both in startup ventures and established corporations; these are essential to fill some of the significant start-up management voices that exist among the participants; prototyping capabilities.

Analysis, Planning and Implementation
- Via teams managed by experienced entrepreneurs

Funding
- An evergreen commercialization fund that enables co-investing with other venture capitalists and generates an internal rate of return sufficient to sustain the project without Federal, state, or local funding

Knowledge Transfer / Cultural Shift
- To provide the knowledge and tools needed to identify and prepare research projects for commercialization entails a graduate class in research commercialization;

Documentation and Support
- To help other groups and organizations, including those underrepresented in the nation’s innovation enterprise, to replicate these achievements;

Goals and Metrics
- Doubling of the overall Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) ranking of the WII with commensurate economic impact;

Methods
- Need to be identified for integrating underserved and under-resourced regional universities into this collective.

WII expects their commercialization efforts to be self-sustaining over time. This long term sustainability will be provided by returns from two sources: sweat equity and investment equity. The partners are collectively raising a $200M investment fund with an evergreen component that will sustain the operations within a period of 3 to 7 years (typical VC fund model).

Immaculata University
“PFI:Transforming the Tri-State Philadelphia Region A Partnership for Innovation in Science and Technology Education”
650271 Start Date: 3/15/2008
PI: Murray, James K, jmurray@immaculata.edu
CoPIs: Heath, S. Ann M.; Luzzi, David E; Wilt, Melody R
Burch, Mary J. (educational consulting partner)

This project involves a partnership between academic, government, and corporate partners to provide the infrastructure, access to equipment, curriculum development, teacher training, educational content, and diverse science-based experiences necessary to inspire a sustained interest in science and technology in students and teachers from the Middle School to post-High-School levels. Philadelphia and its surrounding region is rich in corporations that rely on highly skilled technical workers. Although high-quality technical education options exist within the leading four-year research institutions, there is a critical gap in educational offerings in advanced technology at both the Associate Degree and post-secondary certification levels This project seeks to develop a pipeline of students, beginning at the Middle School level where studies have shown students are lost to science and technology career paths. We will increase the number of middle school students choosing science courses in high school, high school seniors choosing a technical education and career path after graduation. We aim to do this by introducing them to nanotechnology as a part of their science education. We have focused on nanotechnology because the interdisciplinary nature of the subject provides an entry into important educational topics in biology, chemistry, physics and derivative fields, and because the subject inspires the attention of todayâs youth. Program elements include: Teacher training, consisting of one-day workshops, and an Introduction to Nanotechnology Course for middle school and high school teachers; Experiment starter kits; Remote access to equipment at local universities; and an Outreach Providers Network (OPN), comprising individuals from companies, ranging from senior executives and scientists to technicians who will visit schools, addressing a desire articulated by students, with scripting informed by our student focus groups, classroom feedback, and teacher input to guide them in their presentations. We have developed eight lessons illustrating nanotechnology concepts accompanied by detailed lesson plans that are correlated to state academic standards and assessment anchors. Included are new lessons focusing on biology related topics to better serve the large number of biology teachers that have shown interest in adapting nanotechnology concepts for their classrooms. The OPN is comprised of companies, ranging from start-ups to mature, whose employees visit schools to engage students in a discussion of all aspects of their companies and products from the scientific and technical development and business perspectives. In this way we hope to demonstrate to students that a career in science and or technology can lead to a wide diversity in future career paths.

Lehigh University
“PFI: Development, Technology Transfer, and Commercialization of the Automated Transport and Retrieval System (ATRS)”
650115 Start Date: 3/1/2007
PI: Spletzer, John R., josa@lehigh.edu
CoPIs: Panzarella, Thomas A. (industry partner, Freedom Sciences); Wu, S. David; Singh, Sanjiv (Industry partner)

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project, Development, Technology Transfer and Commercialization of the Automated Transport and Retrieval System (ATRS), proposes to provide significantly increased mobility independence for wheelchair users. Six million people in the United States with disabilities have difficulties in obtaining the transportation they need. This is a major contributor to the unemployment rate of the disabled population nationally, estimated at over 65% by the U.S. Census Bureau. Currently, a van conversion represents the sole personal transportation choice for wheelchair users. Unfortunately, van conversions have significant shortcomings in terms of both user safety and cost. To address these limitations, the project proposes the development, technology transfer, and commercialization of a new paradigm for personal independent mobility: the Automated Transport and Retrieval System (ATRS). ATRS seamlessly integrates robotics and automation technologies with existing mobility products into structurally unmodified automobiles. By eliminating the drastic modifications to the base vehicle, ATRS will provide a safer alternative to van conversions with more flexibility at a significantly reduced cost. ATRS will put into practice reliable autonomous systems that will enable robust sensing and the automatic determination of single-point sensor failures. It will also employ state-of-the-art algorithms for pose estimation and control of the wheelchair actuators. The system will be engineered to be low cost since most of the sensors will be solid state, and they can therefore be produced at very low cost.

Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg
“PFI: Overcoming Cultural Barriers: An Innovation Model for Smaller University/Industry Partnerships”
917466 Start Date: 1/1/2009
PI: Walters, Marian, mwalters@psu.edu
Co-PIs: Welch, Patrick J.; Fluck, Richard A.; Fonash, Stephen J. (academic partner, Pennsylvania State University, University Park); Cromiak, Walter
Edwards, Jill (non-academic partner)
Lashway, Christopher R. (student)

Additional Key Partner Organizations: Academic: Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Elizabethtown College, Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg University of Science & Technology, Lebanon Valley College, Messiah College,Millersville University,Shippensburg University; Industrial: Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA, Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum, Capital Region Economic Development Corporation, Harrisburg Market Keystone Innovation Zone,Lancaster Keystone Innovation Zone, Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central PA, Technology Council of Central PA, James Street Improvement District,Innovation Transfer Network Partnership Summary Rationale: Smaller businesses represent our nationâs economic engine but often lack the knowledge base found in academia to develop new innovative products and services. Frequently, industry/university cultural chasms exist that are a major barrier to forming partnerships for innovation. Vision: To overcome the industry/university cultural chasms by forging new partnerships for innovation in South Central Pennsylvania. Distinguishing Features: Academic Diversity: two year, four year, undergraduate, graduate and HBCU institutions. Industrial Networking: One major industrial partner (Gannett Fleming, Inc.) and nine different economic development organizations in catchment area. Proposed Activities: (1) Gather and disseminate information about faculty research interests, (2) collaborative conferences, (3) partnership training, (4) seed funding for collaborative projects, (5) comprehensive intellectual property infrastructure support. Intellectual Merit: Newly formed partnerships will advance innovative technologies as a result of breadth and depth of expertise, sharing of intellectual and physical resources, and rigorous internal and external evaluation procedures. Broader Impacts: closing of regional industry/university collaboration barriers, outreach to thousands of faculty and tens of thousands of students, multiple dissemination strategies, and geographic and ethnic diversity. Economic and Societal Impact: Regional innovative partnerships lay the foundation for new jobs, increased productivity that help stabilize the economy, which helps secure societal freedom.

Pennsylvania State University, University Park
“PFI: Leveraging Advanced Research University Knowledge for Innovation in Legacy Industrial Era Regions: Pennsylvania's I-99 Corridor”
650124 Start Date: 1/15/2008
PI: Wormley, David N., dnwdo@engr.psu.edu
CoPIs: Hallacher, Paul; Hoover, M. Richard; Trauth, Eileen M;; McKnight, Stephen J.
DiRaimo Jr., Michael (student)

In central Pennsylvania, the corridor along interstate highway I-99, comprised of three counties (Bedford, Blair, and Centre), typifies states and regions that prospered during the industrial era but are now struggling. The region suffers from low family incomes, education levels, and population growth. This project is focused on exploring and overcoming barriers to effective leveraging of a major public research university for economic revitalization of a region that prospered during the industrial era but now struggles in the post-industrial age. Manufacturing in the region consists mainly of legacy industrial companies, many of which are family owned small businesses. The region is also home to The Pennsylvania State University, University Park campus, a research institution of international prominence. Three companies in the region, one in each county, are serving as test-beds for innovation partnerships in which Penn State faculty, staff, and students can examine barriers to leveraging the relationship between a research university and regional industry. Each of the three test-bed companies receives $100,000 in research with Penn State faculty members directed towards innovative product or process development. In Bedford County, Creative Pultrusions, Inc., is collaborating with Dr. Gregory Dillon to develop an economically viable process and material that will alleviate the ultra violet (UV) degradation of the companys pultruded composite products. Coating materials are identified and the coating process is under development. In Blair County, Appleton Papers, Inc., is collaborating with Dr. Jeffrey Catchmark on the development of new materials and manufacturing techniques for the creation of paper which has a significantly improved strength-to-weight ratio as well as improved resistance to water. Early results produce a specialized paper that has nearly the same strength wet as dry, and work continues. In Centre County, TRS Technologies, is collaborating with Dr. Susan Trolier-McKinstry in the development of high frequency piezoelectric composite micro-machined ultrasound transducer technology for high frequency medical transducer commercialization. The project is showing considerable promise, and refinement of processes and materials is continuing. All three of these test-bed projects carry the potential to provide a significant positive impact on the companies and their products. In addition, smaller projects linking more than 30 undergraduate students with eight additional companies are underway or have recently been completed. These projects undertaken by the Penn State Learning Factory in the College of Engineering are narrowly focused on very specific, closed-ended projects that provide innovative solutions to company needs while providing direct hands-on involvement for undergraduate students with industry. Student-lead teams work directly with the sponsoring company under the guidance of a faculty mentor. As innovation engagements with Corridor companies proceed, Dr. Eileen Trauth is leading a research team focused on identifying and understanding barriers to leveraging Penn State research for revitalization of this legacy industrial era region. This research closely examines issues of communication between the academic and business communities as well as diversity issues and how they impact the attraction and retention of talented people to the area. Dr. Trauths team has produced several publications, and they continue interaction with both communities. In addition, the NSF PFI project establishes an infrastructure for coordinating the technology and business development resources of the various partners throughout the region resulting in the establishment of relationships between Penn State and more than a dozen regional companies. One of the most significant of these relationships is the Penn State College of Engineering partnership with Norfolk Southern Corporation at their Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, Blair County. The result of this partnership is the development of the first all-electric locomotive, the NS 999, a prototype 1,500 horsepower switching locomotive powered solely by rechargeable batteries. This $4 million project funded with $1.3 million of DOE funds plus private sector funds is a direct outgrowth of the NSF PFI. Over the past four years, technology partnerships with 60 companies in the three-county region have been established.

Villanova University
“PFI: Partnerships for Innovation in Acoustic and Ultrasound Technologies for Medical and Industrial Applications”
917690 Start Date: 3/1/2010
PI: Amin, Moeness, moeness.amin@villanova.edu
CoPIs: Thompson, Richard P. (industry, Ben Franklin Technology Partners); Gabriele, Gary A; Zhang, Yimin D.
Rosca, Justinian (industry partner, Siemens)
Setlur, Pawan (student)

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project is a Type III (A:C) partnership between Villanova University, an NSF PFI grantee (0332490), and Bucknell University, an institution new to the PFI Program (defined as one that has never been a PFI grantee). The project applies core and emerging research in acoustic signal processing, aiming at increasing acoustic system performance and enhancing ultrasound imaging. This is achieved through advances in signature analyses and feature extractions. Novel fusion modalities based on multiple and distributed sensors are examined for further system performance improvements. This partnership recognizes the growing acoustic and ultrasound local and national job markets, spanning the healthcare, automotive, and aerospace sectors with applications ranging from medical diagnostic and therapeutic needs to predictive maintenance of machinery and products, and extending to acoustic source training and localizations. The proposed activities will serve to improve acoustic and ultrasound data analyses and imaging. The enhancements in medical ultrasound imaging have clear societal impact, as they will increase diagnostic capabilities and quality of life while reducing medical costs. In the predictive maintenance field, if more information can be acquired describing the state and properties of existing machinery, better decisions can be made with regard to failure prediction and safety issues. Partners at the inception of the project are Academic Institutions: Villanova University (lead institution), Bucknell University, and Gwynedd-Mercy College; Private Sector Organizations: Siemens and The Boeing Company; State and Local Government Organizations: Ben Franklin Technology Partners; and Federal Government Laboratory: Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

Universidad Del Turabo
“PFI: Universidad del Turabo Partnership for Innovations Program - Hispanic Entrepreneurial Program for Innovation (PIP/HEPI)”
650285 Start Date: 3/1/2007
PI: Loran, Roberto, rloran@suagm.edu
CoPIs: Goosen, Mattheus; Rivera, Marcelino; Schmidt, Pierre E.; Warrington, Robert A.
Pedraza, Sandra R. (academic partner, University of Turabo, Director, Programa Empresarial Multidisciplinario para la Innovación (MEPI))
Rodriquez, Antonio (student)

Universidad Metropolitana
“PFI: Eco-enterprise Partnerships for Innovation in Puerto Rico”
650236 Start Date: 3/1/2007
PI: Padin, Carlos, cpadin@suagm.edu
CoPI: Rosario, Nicolas
Garcia, Luis (partner)

Eco-enterprise Partnerships for Innovation in Puerto Rico will create a highly unusual and innovative model for knowledge transfer on environmental sciences, industry innovation, competitive workforce development, and mentoring partnerships. In order to successfully implement this project, a diverse network of partners has been established.The partnerships developed by the Project Team are innovative and unique. Furthermore, all partners are committed to participate on the Projectâs Advisory Board. This component alone, having members of industry, academia, government and NGOs meeting face-to-face, willing to support innovative businesses, is an extremely successful start to a project. The project, Eco-enterprise Partnerships for Innovation in Puerto Rico, (EPFI-PR) will have seven (7) major components: 1. An initial island-wide conference, to officially launch the project and encourage the participation of all key stakeholders in eco-enterprises; 2. An island-wide general scholarship competition to select the best 24 submissions and award them a scholarship to attend the Puerto Rico Trade (PRT)-sponsored La Llave para tu Negocio (La Llave) training program; 3. Knowledge transfer, through a three-year eco-enterprise training initiative led by UMET in close collaboration with PRT; 4. An island-wide eco-enterprise competition to select the top six (6) most innovative ideas and reward them with a cash award and the physical space; 5. Establishment of a specialized eco-enterprise incubator, free of charge, during the project, to the six (6) most innovative eco-enterprises, at a building committed by the mayor of Barceloneta for this purpose; 6. Collaborative mentoring and technical assistance, provided by UMET, industries of INTENOR, and other project partners, through environmental sciences experts, industrial plant managers, and business professionals; and 7. EcoLink, a website to present current environmental concerns, stimulate innovative solutions from the wider public, and establish new partnerships.

College of Charleston
“PFI: Lowcountry Partnership for Biomedical Innovation”
917987 Start Date: 3/1/2010
PI: Shaver, Kelly, shaverk@cofc.edu
CoPIs: Fiet, James O. (academic partner, University of Louisville); Keynton, Robert S. (academic partner, University of Louisville); Mark Kindy (academic partner, Medical University of South Carolina); McCandless, Amy
Marshall, Andrea H. (business partner, Charleston Angels)

University South Carolina Research Foundation
“PFI: Polymer Nanocomposites Manufacturing Partnership”
650186 Start Date: 3/1/2007
PI: Ploehn, Harry J., ploehn@engr.sc.edu
CoPIs: Pond, David; zur Loye, Hans-Conrad; Pastides, Harris; Sandberg, William R.
Balasubramanian, Shiva (student)

Middle Tennessee State University
“PFI: PIIT: Partners for Innovation in Information Technology”
917840 Start Date: 7/15/2009
PI: Cheatham, Thomas, cheatham@mtsu.edu
CoPIs: Dong, Zhijiang; Li, Cen; Fu, Jian; Harris, Kevin L.
Ponder, Sandy (business partner, Executive Director of Mind2MarketPlace)

University of Tennessee, Knoxville
“Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Product Development and Commercialization”
438641 Start Date: 8/15/2005
PI: Sawhney, Rapinder, sawhney@utk.edu
CoPIs: Wilck, Joseph; Li, Xueping
Martin, Lee (partner)

The University of Tennessee's College of Engineering has utilized the National Science Foundation (NSF) Partnership for Innovation (PFI) project to support the development of a commercialization bridge between the institution and the private sector. The purpose of this bridge is to: 1) Encourage/train engineering and technology students in entrepreneurship, 2) Pair these students with qualified faculty to address promising innovation opportunities, 3) Address intellectual property issues in a manner conducive to value creation, 4) Establish private sector entities that can assist in the establishment of new businesses nucleated from the funded projects, and 5) Integrate the processes into developing courses so that it can become a part of the ongoing culture of the university and the region. The chasm that exists between the laboratory and the marketplace is spanned by entrepreneurs, capital and good fortune. Too often, institutional research results that have potential in the marketplace are abandoned when funding for the research component is complete. Of the many factors that contribute to this, the most common is the fundamental desire of the researcher to continue performing research. The goal of SPAWN (our name for the project to "spawn" new companies) is to partner entrepreneurial minded students with experienced research faculty and entrepreneurs to address pressing problems as regularly solicited in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. As a result, students get exposed to the proposal writing process preparing them for future entrepreneurial demands. This approach offers the potential of combining entrepreneurial and research talent with early stage funding leading to the establishment of new companies. Proposed courses in engineering entrepreneurship include a seminar course led by entrepreneurs and innovators from the surrounding area and a capstone course that prepares and facilitates students during their preparation of funding proposals. Our answer to the PFI is summarized in the motto of our efforts as presented to recruit students: Come for a degree, leave with a company!

University of Texas, Austin
“PFI: Integrated Technology Innovation and Commercialization from Universities: A Sustainable University Approach”
650249 Start Date: 3/1/2007
PI: Nichols, Steven P., s.nichols@mail.utexas.edu
CoPIs: Streetman, Ben G.; Rankin, Mary Ann; Iscoe, Neil
Bylar, Ethan J. (non-academic partner, ASME)
Felkl, Jakub (student)

The focus of this PFI project is to refine and build out tools and programming that focus on the 'innovation gap' between the discovery of new technology and the point where an opportunity to commercialize the technology has been created. We define this gap as ending where business planning begins. Our programs are designed to feed into existing business planning courses and competitions. The education programs being developed in this project are designed to engage students in real innovation and commercialization activity. While teams often form around technologies being researched by students on the teams, teams also choose technologies outside their areas of expertise. The students get experience on multidisciplinary teams, develop their own understanding of the R&D, manufacturing, basic business and intellectual property issues underlying technology commercialization. More importantly, the students lead their own innovation projects while learning the communication, analysis and leadership skills they will need to succeed in an economy driven by the process of getting new technology into product and services. The proposal outlined two major interrelated tasks; 1) Development and refinement of the Idea to Product (I2P) Program and 2) Development and refinement of the TIM Tool. Both of these initiatives have been progressing. The I2P program now consists of courses for graduates and undergraduates, a seminar series, various workshops, online education support and competitions hosted by UT and by collaborating organizations across the country. The Technology Innovation Mapping (TIM) tool has been refined and integrated into coursework and into the preparation for competitions.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
“PFI: Polymeric Membranes for Energy and the Environment”
917971 Start Date: 7/15/2009
PI: McGrath, James, jmcgrath@vt.edu
CoPI: McNamee, Mark
Rosario, Astrid (academic partner, subawardee, University of South Carolina Upstate)

University of Virginia
“PFI: Creating a Sustainable Network for Bioengineering Innovation and Translational Research”
650253 Start Date: 3/15/2007
PI: Skalak, Thomas, tskalak@virginia.edu (organizer, 2010 PFI Grantees Workshop)
CoPIs: Aylor, James; Walker, William; Garson, Arthur
Gianchandani, Erwin (industry partner)
Mazonaite, Egle (student)
Wagner, Cheryl (administrative coordinator, 2010 PFI Grantees Workshop)

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project, "Creating a Sustainable Network for Bioengineering Innovation and Translational Research," is enhancing innovation in bioengineering by creating a sustainable global network of university and corporate partners for the experiential education of new talent for the bioengineering workforce and improved translation of new bioengineering knowledge to products and services. The two major themes are "upstream innovation" and "globally distributed design." Upstream innovation is the concept that parallel, early interaction between business, scientific, engineering, legal, and marketing components can positively impact the level of innovation. Upstream innovation is being implemented by the creation of integrated Capstone Design teams, student internships at companies of varying size and maturity; and experienced corporate R&D people and entrepreneurs in residence. Globally distributed design involves student bioengineering teams represented globally through corporate internships in large corporations with international divisions and in distributed team design experiences with bioengineering programs at eleven international universities. Globally distributed design, therefore, simulates the real-world allocation of the components of project design to the units best suited to particular tasks as it occurs in many industrial R&D processes. Given that bioengineering is one of the most rapidly growing employment fields in science, it is important to provide the capability to prepare new talent for the bioengineering workforce. The essence of the broader impact of the project derives from new linkages that cross cultural divides, geographical separation of universities, and corporate goals in bioengineering. This project is facilitating the creation of a sustainable global network of people, recognizing that the permanence will reside in the person-to-person ties that are being forged, affecting generations of students around the world. The flow of human capital to the U.S. and new routes for U.S. companies for effective globally distributed design is being improved. The international program hubs that are part of the partnership are realizing enhanced preparation of their workforce and their nation's bioengineering economies. Business case studies on the effectiveness and value of upstream innovation and distributed design are being created and will be disseminated to students at other U.S. and international educational institutions. In addition, underrepresented bioengineering students are encouraged to participtae in all aspects of the program. Our network has grown from an initial set of 27 charter universities, corporations, governments, non-profits, and investors to over 300 such organizations spanning 44 nations on six continents. We have over 500 individual members (including faculty, students, corporate representatives, etc.) signed online as well, and they are actively engaged in over 20 collaboration projects and 80 "ideas" (such as non-confidential technology summaries or statements of need). Our global bioengineering network is viewable online at www.bmeplanet.org.

University of Wisconsin, Madison
“PFI: Partnership for Innovation in Wisconsin's Packaging and Printing Industry Cluster”
650321 Start Date: 1/15/2008
PI: Veeramani, Dharmaraj, raj@cae.wisc.edu
CoPIs: van der Weide, Daniel W.; Anderson, Marc A; Rothaupt, Richard; Peercy, Paul S.
Iyengar, Gopi (industry partner, New Page Corporation)
Chen, Huan-Yang (student)

This Partnership for Innovation (PFI) project, which has recognized the packaging and printing industry in Wisconsin as critical to the state's economic success, plans to adopt an industry cluster-based approach to innovation-driven economic development. The intellectual merit of the proposed activity lies in the creation, transfer, and application of advanced packaging and printing technology (using nanoparticle-based inks, composite coatings, and embedded sensors/RFID). This project will lead to the development of new packaging and printing products and processes that have superior performance characteristics and smart sensing capabilities). This project will also make possible the ability to transform supply chain processes and the economic potential for commercialization, and it will improve the understanding of necessary changes in the industry including the development and adoption of sustainable business strategies and practices. Together, these advances will pose high barriers for foreign competition and enable the creation of high-paying jobs in Wisconsin.

The packaging and printing industry is of strategic importance to Wisconsin and the nation as a whole. In terms of shipments in recent years, Wisconsin's national rank is No. 1 in plastic film packaging, No. 1 in paper, No. 4 in metal cans packaging, No.9 in corrugated and fiber board packaging, and No.11 in folding cartons packaging. Wisconsin's packaging and printing industry is a major source of employment for the state and the nation. Over thirty percent of the entire U.S. printing employment is based in the Milwaukee-Madison-Chicago triangle. Strategic initiatives that will create a sustainable competitive advantage for the Wisconsin packaging and printing industry are imperative for its continued success.

The broader impacts of this project also include a scientifically and technologically literate and diverse workforce. This workforce will be prepared to capitalize on this new knowledge to advance growth in innovation and productivity and drive an infrastructure that enables networking, collaboration, and entrepreneurship in Wisconsin's packaging and printing industry.