With just days to kickoff of AURP's 2024 International Conference, another MUST ATTEND event is the Women of AURP Breakfast featuring "HOW TO LEAD AND LAST: Proven Ways to Cultivate Innovation, Engagement, and Retention Starting Within!"

Discussions will be led by Whiting-Turner's Patricia Carper, and Movement RX founder, Dr. Theresa Larson and AURP's Vickie Palmer.

These friends of AURP will guide us to tap into the power of our own personal well-being which directly impacts our professional achievements and leadership potential. Nourishing our own well-being is directly connected to the health of our organizations, institutions and key to growth in all areas of our lives.

Register today and participate in this session and our high-impact AURP 2024 International Conference program!

Comfort Inn Bentonville – Crystal Bridges

3001 NE 11th St. Bentonville, AR

(3 miles from Ledger)

Hotel Direct: 479.254.7800

21C Museum Hotel

200 NE A Street

Bentonville, Arkansas 72712

(8-minute walk from Ledger)

For this issue's "One Text With . . . ", we're thrilled to present Christopher Rooney, Senior Director, Research and Innovation, and Director, Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Centre, with Cleantech Commons at Trent University!

AURP: "Hey Christopher – what are some new developments or projects at Cleantech Commons?"

Christopher: "Exciting things are happening at Cleantech Commons! The Trent Enterprise Centre (TEC), an incubator and accelerator facility that provides office, co-working, and meeting spaces, shared laboratory facilities, and technology assessment, demonstration, and validation spaces, is well underway! It will include four advanced manufacturing spaces, five all-purpose wet-labs that are generically equipped – two of which are equipped with the tools for specialized BSL1 laboratory work. TEC will be open for business in Spring 2026."

AURP: "Fantastic – thank you Christopher – and our best wishes with the launch plans for TEC!"

Resources & Announcements

AURP and NACRO Launch Partnership to Foster Communities of Corporate Innovation 

AURP has announced the launch of a strategic partnership with the Network of Academic Corporate Relations Officers (NACRO). With this partnership, AURP and NACRO will collaborate to leverage the intersections of people, topics and issues common to each organization to spur new work in university research, university-corporate relations, technology transfer and technology commercialization.

“I’m delighted AURP and NACRO will work together across a range of focused activities to ignite action on our common goals of bringing universities and companies together to drive tech-based innovation,” says Vickie Palmer, AURP CEO.

As part of this work, AURP and NACRO will co-develop white papers, research reports and conference sessions, and co-presentations for each organization’s annual conferences, including the AURP 2024 International Conference (Nov. 11-14) and the NACRO Annual Conference (July 15-17, 2025). Both organizations also will establish a joint webinar series to highlight each organization's membership experts and leaders in the university-based and industry innovation communities.

"NACRO is excited to partner with AURP and its global Community of Innovation," says Joseph Huang, NACRO Co-Vice President and Executive Director of Strategic Research Initiatives in Computer Science at Stanford University. "We will encourage corporate relations officers to work with place-based officers working at research parks and innovation spaces, we will bring a larger offering to our corporate tenants and members, and we will improve by adopting best practices found in each other’s organizations." Read more.

NSF Launches New Funding Opportunity to Help NSF-funded Researchers Translate Their Outputs

The NSF has launched a new funding initiative to strengthen U.S. leadership in the bioeconomy, a sector projected to be worth $3.4 trillion by 2030. Through the Use-Inspired Creativity Extension for the Bioeconomy (UICREX-Bioeconomy), NSF will provide up to two additional years of funding for high-risk, use-inspired research projects with commercial potential. This opportunity targets researchers in fields including biotechnology, materials science and chemistry, encouraging the translation of groundbreaking research into marketable products and processes. Eligible awardees will work on projects that could contribute to sectors such as health care, bio-manufacturing, and food production. For consideration of funding in the FY2025, inquiries must be made prior to May 1, 2025. Read more.

U.S. EDA Announces Grant Program to Drive Economic Development in Indigenous Communities

U.S. EDA has announced a new $5 million funding opportunity to support capacity-building and non-construction projects in Indigenous communities, according to Tribal Business News. This initiative, part of an update to the Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Program (PWEAA), builds on the work behind the American Rescue Plan’s Assistance to Indigenous Communities program. With grants ranging from $75,000 to $200,000, the funding focuses on economic infrastructure, technical assistance and workforce training, plus support for vocational and higher education institutions. The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, according to the article, used a $3.1 million grant from U.S. EDA's Indigenous Communities program to build a tribal business Incubator (photo). Read more.

The Oklahoma City Innovation District has named Jeff Seymour as its new president and CEO. With experience as the executive vice president of economic development at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, Seymour will lead efforts to promote innovation, partnerships and economic growth in the district. His appointment is expected to advance the district's mission of fostering collaboration between public, private and academic sectors to drive technological advancements and enhance the local economy. The Innovation District is at a key juncture with the MAPS 4-funded Innovation Hall and the related Convergence Development set to open early next year. Read more.

As the 45th anniversary of the Bayh-Dole Act approaches, the Bayh-Dole Coalition is accepting nominations for its 2025 American Innovator Award. This award recognizes individuals who have exemplified dedication, risk and effort in transforming federally funded inventions into market-ready innovations that benefit the public. The goal is to highlight these stories to inform policymakers and the public about the importance of the Bayh-Dole system. Recipients will be profiled in the Bayh-Dole Coalition’s annual “Faces of American Innovation” report and celebrated during a Congressional briefing and advocacy conference in Washington, D.C. Nominations can be submitted through its official form.

Tracy Shickel

Associate VP for Corporate Engagement

University of Delaware 

As Associate Vice President for Corporate Engagement at the University of Delaware (host of AURP's 2023 International Conference), Tracy Shickel has responsibility for mission-aligned, strategic external engagement. This includes relationship management with over 60 companies co-located on UD’s three affiliated innovation campuses, new collaborator development and support of external engagement needs for the institution’s faculty and graduate student innovators and entrepreneurs.

The University of Delaware is a major research university committed to student success with extensive undergraduate and graduate programs that engage students in research and experiential learning opportunities. Innovation and research translation for enhanced economic and societal impact are strategically important and building the ecosystems necessary to deliver on those imperatives are priorities.

Tracy serves as a co-PI on a foundational National Science Foundation Accelerating Research Translation (ART) investment supporting vital capacity-building resources.

An alumna of UD, the suburban Philadelphia resident enjoys time at the beach with family and friends. After decades of international corporate business leadership, she continues to enjoy traveling to new places and experiencing new cultures and cuisines from around the globe. Depending on the time of year, you can find Tracy on the pickleball court or on curling ice!

Tracy serves on various Boards that support enhanced university-industry relations and economic development including Delaware Bioscience Association, Center for Accelerating Financial Equity (CAFE) as President, and UD Horn Entrepreneurship as Chair Emerita. She has served on AURP’s Board of Directors since 2021 with service including various committees such as the International Conference planning committee with Delaware as the host conference location in 2023.

OhioDiscoveryCorridor.com

The Ohio Discovery Corridor is leading opportunity, innovation, and collaboration unlike anywhere else in the Midwest.

Connecting Ohio’s three Innovation Districts in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland – it’s where the brightest minds and world-class institutions come together to shape the future of life sciences, technology, and more.

This collaboration is enabled by $3 billion in investment from anchor institutions, the state of Ohio, and JobsOhio.

Over ten years, the Ohio Discovery Corridor is expected to inspire 47,500 additional STEM graduates and fuel an estimated 60,000 new jobs. Learn more.

Cummings Research Park (CRP) and Huntsville, AL was recently featured as one of Business Facilities’ top hubs to watch out for in the U.S. They made the list alongside communities such as Seattle, Charlotte, East Bay (CA), Austin. CRP is the second largest research park in the U.S. and the fourth largest in the world. It is one of the world's leading science and technology business parks, with a mixture of Fortune 500 companies, local and international high-tech enterprises, U.S. space and defense agencies, business incubators and higher-education institutions. CRP is the home to over 320 companies, more than 26,000 employees and 13,500 students. 

Read more.

Breakthrough Properties has opened the 520,000-square-foot Torrey View life science campus in San Diego's Del Mar Heights district, according to Commercial Property Executive. The LEED Gold-certified campus spans three buildings and includes tenants such as Pfizer's oncology division and Becton, Dickinson and Co. The facility offers research spaces, collaboration areas and amenities like a fitness center and pickleball court. The project, designed by Flad Architects, is fully preleased, highlighting the continued demand for life science space in San Diego. Read more.

The Illinois FAST Center, hosted by the University of Illinois Research Park, has received a five-year funding renewal from the U.S. Small Business Administration. This funding will support the Center's ongoing efforts to provide one-on-one assistance, training and workshops aimed at helping small businesses access federal research funding. Between 2020 and 2023, the Center assisted over 2,200 clients, securing $67.2 million in SBIR and STTR grants. The renewal is part of the SBA's broader efforts to boost innovation and entrepreneurship nationwide. Read more.

Furman University has opened its new Innovation Lab within the Crescent Startup Community in Greenville, SC. The lab is designed to foster collaboration between students, faculty and local entrepreneurs, offering resources and mentorship to help launch startups and support innovation. This new facility is part of Furman’s broader efforts to integrate real-world business development opportunities into its academic programs, enhancing student learning while contributing to the local economy. Read more.

Manufacturers and liberal arts colleges are increasingly recognizing the benefits of collaboration to address workforce challenges and boost innovation, according to a column in Industry Week by Byron Rich, Assistant Provost of Academic Innovation at Allegheny College. Rich writes that as industries face a skills gap and a need for versatile employees, liberal arts institutions such as Allegheny can provide critical soft skills and creative problem-solving abilities. This past spring, Rich notes the Allegheny Lab for Innovation and Creativity (ALIC) explored the training needs of its regional advanced manufacturing sector by working with 13 manufacturing companies. Read more.

How Leader Well-Being Impacts Productivity

How to Kick the "Maybe Someday . . ." Excuse to the Curb

"When the kids go back to school . . ." 

"When work is less busy . . ." 

"When I have more time . . ."

How often do we use this phrase to put off something we need to do for our health, our happiness, our work, or our family? Probably more than we’d like to admit. But this common excuse doesn’t have to limit you forever, says Dr. Theresa of Movement Rx.

Dr. T appeared LIVE on YouTube earlier this month to give you a perspective shift that will allow you to kick the common excuse, “maybe someday” to the curb.

Watch the full recording to dive into the details or check out her Blog for the highlights!

#AURPinAction

Economic Impact Reports

Research parks, innovation districts and tech hubs are strong economic, job-creating engines and contribute to economic development in local communities, regions, states and nations.

Our AURP website features current impact studies that illustrate the dynamic impact of university research parks, innovation districts and tech hubs.

Take a look at the Stanford Research Park – 2023 Year in Review!

We're ready to include your impact report on our website! Learn more.

AURP CAREER CENTER

Check out the AURP Career Center to discover your

next career opportunity, including:



• Founding Dean – Vanderbilt University (College of Connected Computing)
• Technology Manager – University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Intellectual Property Manager – University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Associate Vice President for Business Engagement – Georgia Southern University
• Executive Vice President for Research – Georgia Institute of Technology
• Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations and Executive Director – Montgomery College Foundation (Rockville, MD)
• President of Speros – Moffitt Cancer Center (Tampa, FL)
• Wadhwani Endowed Chair in Clinical and Translational Research – University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
• President, Purdue Research Foundation – Purdue University
• Real Estate Development Manager, Office of the Chancellor – California State University
• Vice President for Research & Economic Development – University of South Alabama
• Executive Director – Birmingham Bio Innovation Corporation (AL)