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Research and Economic Development Division






REDD News - January 2024

Published January 29, 2024

Front of Old Main building

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

Happy 2024!

As you are returning to campus and starting the spring 2024 semester, I wanted to provide a few updates about what is happening in the Research and Economic Development Division:

Growth of University of Wyoming Research Enterprise

2023 was an exciting year for UW’s research and innovation enterprise. Due to the hard work and dedication of the UW research services staff and talented UW researchers, there were several firsts in 2023:

  • UW’s research expenditures in FY2023 surpassed $150 million.
  • UW was selected for the 2023 cohort of the Program to Enhance Organizational Research Impact Capacity (ORIC), joining seven other distinguished universities.
  • UW was recognized by the National Academy of Inventors as one of the top 100 most invention-focused U.S. universities.
  • UW was one of the inaugural 18 awardees in the NSF’s new program- Accelerating Research Translation.

Early Career Faculty Research Development Program

The RED Division is committed to helping our new and early career faculty. To allow research development assistance, we are offering a spring 2024 program for new faculty interested in applying for new faculty grants from external agencies (such as the CAREER program at NSF). The program participants will be expected to attend biweekly lunch-and-learn sessions, which will include help in preparing applications through internal and external experts. As was done last year, strategic reviews of applications will be provided through The Implementation Group. For additional information, please contact Dr. Shawna McBride, Director of the EPSCoR/IDeA Office.

Opportunity to Present at TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo

RED Division will provide opportunities for presenting your translational research and for making connections for commercialization. The TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo being held in Washington DC from June 17-19, 2024, offers a unique opportunity for University of Wyoming researchers and entrepreneurs to showcase their research and innovations. The event covers topics such as advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, energy, sustainability, biotechnology, medical technologies, electronics and microsystems, and artificial intelligence. UW researchers and entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to network with colleagues from other institutions, federal agencies, and industry. Abstracts can be submitted for presentations – the deadline is January 26th, 2024. A limited number of travel grants will be made available by the Research and Economic Development Division for accepted abstracts. If interested, please contact Arundeep Pradhan, Director of the Technology Transfer Office.

Celebrating Research and Innovation Excellence at the University of Wyoming

The Board of Trustees will meet next week. During the Research and Economic Development Committee meeting, there will be presentations by three recipients of the Trustee’s Research Excellence Fund seed grant awardees. We will also host a reception and dinner to celebrate the success of UW researchers in obtaining extramural funding and in translating their research to practice. This is the inaugural annual celebration of UW’s research and innovation excellence. In addition to recognizing outstanding researchers identified by colleges and schools, four university-wide awards will be given.

  • UW Distinguished Researcher Award- for a researcher with the highest annual research expenditures averaged over the last three years.
  • UW Distinguished Innovator Award- for a researcher with the most prolific innovation portfolio (patents, start-ups, etc.).
  • UW Distinguished Research Service Award- for a faculty or staff member who has made major contributions to the UW’s research services and infrastructure.
  • UW Exemplary Research Culture Award- for a department with highest per faculty research expenditures and innovation portfolio.

As we start 2024, we want to continue to listen to you, make changes to address your needs, and facilitate exciting new frontiers in research, innovation, and economic development. Wishing everyone a year filled with continued success and research excellence! 

Sincerely,

Parag R Chitnis, VP-RED