Innovative Ventures for Emerging Technologies in Rural North Louisiana

Louisiana Tech University, Ruston LA

Investigators

Abstract

0332461 Guice This award is to the Louisiana Tech University to support the activity described below for 36 months. The proposal was submitted in response to the Partnerships for Innovation Program Solicitation (NSF-03521). Partners The partners include the Louisiana Tech (Lead Institution), A.M. Pappas and Associates, Louisiana Board of Regents, Louisiana Department of Economic Development, Louisiana Partnerships for Technology and Innovation, Microtec Associates, VCE Capital Partners, LLC. This project fosters innovation as a catalyst for innovations in emerging technologies, such as microsystems and bionanosystems, to be deployed in new business ventures in North Louisiana. The project exploits technologies produced from the research programs of the university's Institute for Micromanufacturing and other science and engineering research centers. Coordination is provided by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Information Technology, which is a state-funded partnership between the College of Engineering and Science and the College of Administration and Business. One of the major activities is to develop and commercialize the intellectual property in the region to create economic and societal well-being. Potential Economic Impact The region is primarily rural with a focus on agriculture, forest products, chemical processing, manufacturing, and transportation. The number of technology-based companies is small. The cultivation of entrepreneurship among the faculty, students, and business communities will create new companies and provide a technologically literate workforce based on commercialization of intellectual property from the university's research and on workforce education and training programs. The effort will be self-sustaining. The intellectual merit of the activity lies in the creation, transfer and application of emerging technologies and novel education and training of the technologically literate workforce through collaboration of the College of Engineering and Science and the College of Management and Business with the regional companies and the state and regional governments. The broader impacts of the activity include integrating high school students with undergraduate and graduate college students, creating a model for technological innovation for rural regions, and integrating engineering and science with business and management for education of the workforce. Underrepresented groups are involved in the research and workforce development programs.