Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is hosting an SIU system-wide Innovation Expo Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the Morris University Center Conference Center. “Making Better Megawatts, Mousetraps and Medicine” is the theme of the free event.
The expo supports long-term, sustainable innovation in collaboration with regional business and industry – from idea generation to partnership and commercialization. While the Edwardsville campus is hosting the expo for the first time, the Carbondale campus and the SIU School of Medicine in Springfield also participate.
The event includes an invitation-only noon luncheon for select faculty innovators and industry representatives. After a welcome from SIU President Randy Dunn, Dr. George Vermont will make the public keynote address at 1:30 p.m. A networking session with refreshments follows immediately.
Vermont has 32 years of experience in industry. He currently works for the National Science Foundation Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program. For the last nine years, he has interviewed over 2,500 small business recipients of SBIR awards in an attempt to validate the effectiveness of the SBIR program. In his presentation, he will highlight some of the study’s findings.
“This system-wide expo provides outstanding visibility for all of the research, patent work and technology being developed on all our campuses,” said Dr. Jerry Weinberg, SIUE associate provost for research, dean of the Graduate School. “Companies with research and project needs can seek out faculty to assist in achieving their goals.”
Following the presentation, a networking session will feature kiosks displaying faculty research, allowing industry representatives to learn what SIU researchers have to offer and to discuss potential matches to their needs and ideas. The featured work ranges from alternative energy and antibiotics to medical devices and gene therapy.
Sponsors include the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, University Park at SIUE, the SIUE Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Husch Blackwell, Dentons, Polsinelli, SIUE and SIUC.
For a complete list of participants and registration information, visit tie.siu.edu.
Those interested in participating in the luncheon should contact the SIUE SBDC at 618-650-2929 or sbdcedw@gmail.com.