REGIONAL INNOVATION ENGINE

CREATING FOCUSED RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER HUBS

by XOEL CARDENAS U Office of the VP for Research

WITH FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF), THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH ALONG WITH SIX CORE ACADEMIC PARTNERS WILL BE PART OF A MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL ENTERPRISE TO CONFRONT THE CLIMATE CHALLENGES FACING THE DESERT SOUTHWEST AND SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION.

The effects of climate change are acutely evident in the Southwest, from the desertification of Utah’s Great Salt Lake to the record-breaking extreme heat in Arizona and the dwindling supply of the Colorado River reaching Nevada.

NSF Engines: Southwest

Sustainability Innovation Engine (SWSIE) will use these challenges to catalyze economic opportunity and seeks to establish the Southwest as a leader in carbon capture, water security, and renewable energy and bring high-wage industries to the region. SWSIE unites academic, community, nonprofit, and industry partners across Arizona, Nevada, and Utah that are committed to this goal.

SWSIE is among the first proposals selected by the NSF to establish a Regional Innovation Engine, a first-of-its-kind NSF program to create focused research and technology transfer hubs. The NSF will fund SWSIE’s initial development and growth with $15 million over the next two years. The engine can be renewed for up to 10 years with $160 million in funding available for each regional engine.

Driven by the U’s mission to find solutions for society’s critical challenges, SWSIE is an opportunity to tackle one of the biggest threats to our state and region through innovation and collaboration—all while driving economic prosperity.

The team includes over 20 senior personnel including faculty from Atmospheric Sciences, Biological Sciences, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Communications, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Geography, and Geology and Geophysics.

“We are so thrilled to have the opportunity to grow academic, industry, and community partnerships that unite Utah, Nevada, and Arizona as we innovate sustainable solutions for water, energy, and carbon,” says geologist and chair of Atmos Brenda Bowen, co-principal investigator who serves as the U lead on SWSIE. “This is work that needs to happen, and this award will allow us to align our efforts to maximize the positive impacts across the region.” <