More than two dozen private companies will get a firsthand look at how West Virginia University spurs innovation and research in the area of national defense.

An event – a “Showcase for Department of Defense-Related Research ”– will highlight innovations by WVU faculty researchers for a gathering of representatives from selected private companies with successful records of commercializing new technologies for national defense. The reception/showcase is set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday (Nov. 15) at the National Research Center for Coal and Energy.

“This isn’t the usual formal program with speakers, presentations and programs,” Russ Lorince, WVU director of Economic Development explained. “This is a different kind of event we created to encourage conversation and networking between WVU researchers and people in private industry who are always looking for that next innovative idea.”

Lorince said the event is the latest effort under the University’s innovation initiative known as Linking Innovation, Industry and Commercialization, or LIINC – a project funded through a grant to the WVU Office of Research and Economic Development from the Benedum Foundation.

“LIINC aims to grow the innovative culture on campus by encouraging conversation and collaboration between WVU faculty and the private sector,” Lorince said. “One of the things LIINC is doing as part of that effort is sponsor these special networking events to get the conversations going.”

He said Tuesday’s event is an opportunity for faculty to talk about their DOD-related research and create new contacts with private companies that could lead to increased opportunities for research funding, licensing, and Small Business Innovative Research and Small Business Technology Transfer grants.

So far, representatives from 22 companies are planning to attend including: Allegheny Science and Technology, API Technologies, Athena Sciences Corporation, Azimuth, B2G Alliance, Colborn Morrison, createTank, CSC, EWA Government Systems, Galaxy Global Corporation, High Technology Consortium Foundation, HCS Technologies, IRC Federal, KeyLogic, ManTech, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, National White Collar Crime Center, Raytheon, Raytheon Missile Systems, SAIC, SecurLinx, ShieldSmith, and TMC Technologies.

While more than 50 WVU faculty have already signed up to attend, 11 will be displaying posters of their research including; Thirimachos Bourlai, Arun Ross, Slawek Lukomski, Bing Li, Suzanne Bell, Letha Sooter, Wade Huebsch, Jonathan Boyd, Kaushlendra Singh, Jeremy Dawson and Bojan Cukic.

“We are trying to execute a culture shift through LIINC’s efforts to get more of our researchers to pursue innovation and commercialization just as President Clements stressed in his State of the University address and the new WVU strategic plan,” Lorince said. “We have the support of our University leadership in that effort.”

-WVU-

gg/11/09/11

CONTACT: Lindsay Emery, Office of Technology Transfer
304.293.0391; Lindsay.Emery@mail.wvu.edu

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