West Virginia University’s nationally recognized program designed to forge new productive relationships between its student and faculty researchers and private industry will hold its largest ever research showcase event Thursday (Nov. 8) focusing on security and intelligence topics.

Linking Innovation, Industry and Commercialization, or LIINC – a project funded through a grant to the WVU Office of Research from the Claude Worthinton Benedum Foundation, recently won the Award of Excellence in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship category at the University Economic Development Association 2012 Annual Summit in Tennessee for its work to develop new and productive ties between University researchers and the private sector.

At the Security and Intelligence Research Showcase on Thursday, more than 45 companies – the largest roster of private companies yet in the LIINC series – will be on hand to learn and share about potential WVU collaborative efforts.

The showcase will be held in the Erickson Alumni Center and will kick off with brief company presentations revealing research and development goals, current projects and opportunities for collaboration with University faculty. Presentations will be by Tygart Technology, Inc., Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Raytheon Missile Systems and Northrop Grumman.

The presentations will be followed by the traditional LIINC reception offering researchers and company representatives the chance to mingle, network and informally discuss collaborative possibilities.

LIINC Manager Lindsay Emery explained that WVU hopes to increase opportunities for research, funding licensing SBIRs, STTRs and other opportunities as it works to build relationships between the University and private industries.

“This particular event is a showcase emphasizing areas of potential in security and intelligence research from the WVU faculty including work in defense and aerospace,” she said. “This is the fourth LIINC event of this type. We have also had successful showcase/reception events dedicated to bioscience and biomedical research and energy and environmental research.”

More than 60 WVU faculty members are planning to attend the showcase and 17 researchers who were nominated by their deans and senior administrators will display posters outlining their work during the reception.

-WVU-

gg/11/07/12

CONTACT: Lindsay Emery, WVU Research Corp.
304.293.0391, Lindsay.Emery@mail.wvu.edu

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