Commercialization and Regional Development - In the News

Utah State University advanced weather sensors going to space on Asian satellites

abigail.soderberg@gmail.com (Abby Soderberg) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 MST

By Lindsay Whitehurst

Advanced weather-sensing instruments built by a Utah State University-affiliated lab will get a ride into space on an Asian telecommunications satellite set to launch in 2016.

The agreement announced Wednesday advances a partnership with Las Vegas-based companyGeoMetWatch that is the single largest applied engineering contract at a USU lab.

The satellite will be launched over the Pacific Rim byAsiaSat, a satellite TV and Internet company. From the vantage point of 22,000 miles above earth, the instrument could pick up weather data affecting most of the world’s population, said Forrest Fackrell, chief development officer at GeoMetWatch.

"It’s a big deal because it really gives us an international capability. It gives us a very significant hosting partner," he said.

The instrument, called a hyperspectral sounder, uses infrared sensors to predict storms more than eight hours earlier than current technology, said Robert Behunin, USU’s vice-president of commercialization.

"Right now, we’re just talking about minutes and sometimes even range-of-sight," he said. Better information could save lives and money with earlier natural disaster warnings and more exact evacuation zones.

The Sounding and Tracking Observatory for Regional Meteorology (STORM) instrument reads atoms’ infrared light, or heat energy. It can produce images and track particles of water vapor, trace gases, volcanic ash and pollutants to predict floods, hurricanes, tornados, atmospheric pressure and other weather conditions. The instruments also could be used to measure and track the effects of climate change.

"Current weather satellites give you a 2-D sort of a picture image of what’s going on," Behunin said. "STORM will give a 4-D cube."

Wednesday’s agreement will give GeoMetWatch a much stronger platform to sell the weather data to businesses and governments.

"The fact that we have an operating agreement signed, a ride into space, that makes it more real," Behunin said.

GeoMetWatch envisions eventually covering the entire globe with six sounder-equipped satellites, but building each instrument costs more than $100 million and takes more than three years.

Twelve scientists in Logan started the first hyperspectral sounder in February with capital from GeoMetWach and the state-funded Utah Science Technology and Research initiative. Wednesday’s agreement also will help secure the rest of the money to finish the work, Fackrell said.

"Confidence is very high that this will enable success in getting the instrument completed," he said. When the project is fully ramped up, it will employ 40 people at the new USU-affiliated lab Advanced Weather Systems Foundation, and some of those will be new hires, Behunin said.

The research on the project actually started more than 15 years ago with federal funding. NASA put $400 million into two advanced weather projects at USU’s Space Dynamics Lab before pulling the plug when it got too expensive in 2006.

Two years later, some of the scientists working on the project formed GeoMetWatch, and got a license to finish the project privately.

"We’re leveraging the investment the government has made in this technology and turning it into a commercial product," Fackrell said.

GeoMetWatch Partners with AsiaSat to Launch Advanced Severe Weather Payload

kate.peterson@usu.edu (Kate Peterson) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 MST

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) and GeoMetWatch Corp today announced that the two companies have entered into a strategic partnership to host the first of six Sounding & Tracking Observatory for Regional Meteorology (STORM) instruments on board a new satellite planned to be launched by AsiaSat in 2016.

"We are pleased to have reached this cooperation agreement with GeoMetWatch. We are excited to take part in this ground breaking project that will provide advanced data to improve weather forecasting, natural disaster monitoring and climate modeling. This new partnership with GeoMetWatch will open up new opportunities to expand our satellite services into new areas, and allow us to explore a new source of revenue for the company," said William Wade, President and Chief Executive Officer of AsiaSat.

"GeoMetWatch's partnership with AsiaSat is a significant step towards the implementation of our global geostationary hyperspectral sounder constellation. The first STORM sensor will provide unprecedented atmospheric and weather data over Asia and the Pacific region, for which we have already had significant interest to purchase the data when available," said David Crain, Chief Executive Officer of GeoMetWatch. "For the past 25 years, AsiaSat has been the preeminent satellite operator in Asia and we are pleased that our first STORM hyperspectral sounder will be hosted on their satellite."

Planned for launch in 2016 and to be positioned at 122 degrees East, this new AsiaSat satellite will host the first hyperspectral STORM sensor that will collect and return to Earth sophisticated and critical weather data not currently available. This hyperspectral data will enable meteorologists to provide better daily forecasts, predict severe weather and atmospheric instability more accurately, and improve location and storm tracking and analysis of the intensity of hurricanes and typhoons, resulting in earlier evacuations that can improve the preservation of lives and property.

"STORM will provide significantly earlier warning for severe weather and climate instability, and it will do so faster, more frequently and with finer detailed measurements than any capability in orbit today," Crain said.

The first STORM sensor is currently being manufactured by Utah State University's Advanced Weather Systems. AWS is part of Utah State's rich heritage of designing, building and testing state-of-the-art space based sensors. "AWS is thrilled to be a part of the GMW-AsiaSat partnership," said Robert T. Behunin, AWS Board Member and USU vice president for commercialization. "This unprecedented partnership and the activities that will come from it will revolutionize the weather sensor and data community; it will also provide a more efficient business model to secure and distribute weather data."

Partnering with Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) of University of Wisconsin for expertise in hyperspectral algorithm development and data processing, the GeoMetWatch system will provide high-resolution, visible and infrared images of atmospheric conditions as well as a complete set of quasi-continuous measurements that are high resolution in vertical, spatial and temporal dimensions. These include profiles of temperature, water vapor, pressure, clouds and wind, three-dimensional fields of aerosols, pollutants, and trace gases, volcanic ash and gases, weather instability, precipitation and flood forecasts, hurricane intensity and ground track, and other data. GeoMetWatch's products and services will be available globally under an innovative fee-for-service data-buy model that enables its clients to meet their critical atmospheric data needs with increased accuracy, efficiency and affordability.

About GeoMetWatch

GeoMetWatch Corp is a commercial technology and innovation leader specializing in global hyperspectral weather services. GeoMetWatch provides state-of-the-art hyperspectral sensors as well as a range of meteorological data products. GeoMetWatch is headquartered in North Logan, Utah. For more about GeoMetWatch, visit us at www.geometwatch.com.

About AsiaSat

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), the leading regional satellite operator in Asia, serves over two-thirds of the world's population with its four satellites, AsiaSat 3S at 105.5E, AsiaSat 4 at 122 E, AsiaSat 5 at 100.5 E and AsiaSat 7 at 105.5 E. The AsiaSat satellite fleet provides services to both the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Over 450 television and radio channels are now delivered by the company's satellites offering access to over 620 million TV households across the Asia-Pacific region. AsiaSat also provides telecommunications operators and end users services such as voice networks, private VSAT networks and broadband multimedia. AsiaSat's latest satellites, AsiaSat 6 and AsiaSat 8, are planned to be launched in the first half of 2014. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, a company listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 1135). For more information, please visit www.asiasat.com.

Media Inquires:

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited

Sabrina Cubbon, VP Sales and Marketing

Tel: (852) 2500 0899

Mobile: (852) 9097 1210

Email: scubbon@asiasat.com

GeoMetWatch

Forrest N. Fackrell

Tel: (1 435) 760 2399

Email: forrest.fackrell@geometwatch.com

The Altair Partner Alliance Adds Unique Micromechanic Composites Tool from AnalySwift, Furthering the APA’s Composite Solution

abigail.soderberg@gmail.com (Abby Soderberg) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 MST

TROY, Mich. – March 20, 2013 – The Altair Partner Allianceannounced today that AnalySwift will be joining the program and adding its complex composite modeling tool, SwiftComp Micromechanics, to the growing offering of partner applications available to HyperWorks users under Altair’s license manager. SwiftComp is a unique software that combines efficiency and accuracy when assisting with the design and modeling of complex composites to improve structural designs, estimating a structure’s capabilities or engineering a new material with enhanced performance characteristics.

“AnalySwift is thrilled to be working with the Altair Partner Alliance,” said Allan Wood, president & CEO of AnalySwift. “As the world-class micromechanics program, SwiftComp Micromechanics is a unique and versatile tool that can be used for the analysis and modeling of composites. With the ability to be applied to a large span of industries and assignments, SwiftComp is exceptionally valuable, now especially for Altair’s HyperWorks users.”

SwiftComp Micromechanics is a truly general-purpose micromechanics code, applying a powerful mathematical approach to enable quick results without the loss of accuracy. While being extremely efficient, SwiftComp accurately calculates a complete set of physical properties in seconds. It runs only one analysis, which can be done on a typical laptop computer, and takes just seconds to complete, unlike other approaches, which may take several hours. The software obtains a complete set of fully coupled, multiphysical properties without the application of highly crafted load and boundary conditions, postprocessing or multiple runs.

“The time savings could easily be orders of magnitude,” said Wenbin Yu, Ph.D., chief technology officer for AnalySwift. “A major benefit to users is the ability to efficiently design and analyze materials and structures in ways not possible otherwise--for instance, models that are too large to be handled by computers in a practical way.”

The necessary properties can be calculated by SwiftComp for any heterogeneous material, including layered, binary, fiber/particle reinforced, and woven composites, as well as any other composites created using other manufacturing techniques. This tool also can achieve a complete set of three-dimensional material properties using a one-dimensional analysis of the 1D unit cell for binary composites. It also can analyze other heterogeneous materials, including construction materials, metals, bone and brain tissue, ice and many others.

“AnalySwift is another important addition to our broad suite of Altair Partner Alliance products that addresses the needs of our customers using advanced composite materials,” said Robert Yancey, senior director – aerospace for Altair. “To make full use of the advantages offered by advanced composites, tools such as SwiftComp are necessary to design and analyze these materials so that they meet customer requirements.”

With the ability to deal with any microstructure containing a given number of constituents, SwiftComp is an incredibly versatile tool, applicable to a wide variety of industries, including aerospace and aircraft, wind energy, automotive, marine, defense and construction, to name a few. It can be used to perform multiscale modeling of composite structures, homogenization of heterogeneous materials and multiphysics micromechanics analysis of composites, among other processes.

Available for the last 12 years, Altair’s innovative unit-based licensing system allows HyperWorks users customizable access to a growing portfolio of applications while optimizing their return on investment (ROI) with each new partner added. Since the start, every license has been composed of a pool of recyclable HyperWorks units (HWUs), which can be used to access any application within the HyperWorks family.

After experiencing this original licensing model’s success, Altair has offered the opportunity for third-party companies to run their own applications under this unit-based system, a collaboration now known as the Altair Partner Alliance. The overall flexibility of these HWUs empowers users and allows them access to the largest and most complete suite of CAE applications available, making the benefits to participating HyperWorks customers infinite. The ROI increases for users each time a new application is added to the offering, since any of the partner programs can be accessed using the same leased HWUs they are already using to run HyperWorks. This makes more than 50 additional applications available at no incremental cost or long-term commitment.

HyperWorks users can download SwiftComp Micromechanics atwww.altairalliance.com/analyswift. To learn more about AnalySwift and SwiftComp, please attend one of the introductory webinars, being held on April 1, 2013, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. EDT. These webinars will be hosted by Altair and presented by AnalySwift.

About AnalySwift
AnalySwift offers users an unprecedented combination of efficiency and accuracy in multiphysics modeling as a leading provider of engineering design and analysis software for composite materials and structures. AnalySwift’s revolutionary solutions are based on a uniquely powerful mathematical approach, providing customers a competitive advantage through reductions in engineering time without a loss of accuracy. Utilizing technology developed at Utah State University and Georgia Tech, with the support of U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. National Science Foundation, USTAR and industry, AnalySwift offers the best available combination of efficiency, accuracy and versatility for multiphysics analysis of composite materials and structures.

About Altair
Altair empowers client innovation and decision-making through technology that optimizes the analysis, management and visualization of business and engineering information. Privately held, with 1,800 employees, Altair has offices throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia/Pacific. With a 27-year track record for high-end software for engineering and computing, enterprise analytics solutions, and innovative product design and development, Altair consistently delivers a competitive advantage to customers in a broad range of industries. To learn more, please visit www.altair.com or www.simulatetoinnovate.com.

About the Altair Partner Alliance
Altair’s HyperWorks platform applies a revolutionary subscription-based licensing model in which customers use floating licenses to access a broad suite of Altair-developed, as well as third-party, software applications on demand. The Altair Partner Alliance effectively extends the HyperWorks Platform from 28 internally developed solutions to more than 50 applications with the addition of new partner applications. Customers can invoke these third-party applications at no incremental cost using their existing HyperWorks licenses. Customers benefit from unmatched flexibility and access, resulting in maximum software utilization, productivity and ROI. For more information about the Altair Partner Alliance, visitwww.altairalliance.com.

Media Contacts:
Jennifer Korail
Airfoil for Altair/APA
+1 (248) 304-1429
korail@airfoilgroup.com

Allan Wood
President & CEO, AnalySwift
+1 (801) 599-5879
allanwood@analyswift.com

Utah State University Advanced Weather Systems lab Begins Work on First Space-Based Sensor

abigail.soderberg@gmail.com (Abby Soderberg) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:00:00 MST

LOGAN, Utah, Feb. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Advanced Weather Systems laboratory at Utah State University announced today that it has initiated work to build the first Sounding and Tracking Observatory for Regional Meteorology sensor for delivery to its commercial partner GeoMetWatch.

The sensor, known as STORM™, is a hyperspectral sounder that will collect and return to Earth sophisticated and critical weather data that is not currently available to weather forecasters. The procurement of this data will enable forecasters to predict severe weather and atmospheric instability more effectively, resulting in earlier evacuations that will increase the preservation of lives and property.

"The STORM™sensor will provide unique and revolutionary weather and Earth observation capabilities that will benefit Utah, the United States and ultimately the world," says GMW CEO David Crain . "GMW is very excited that the Advanced Weather Systems lab at USU has begun production of our first geosynchronous sounder."

AWS board member and Utah State's vice president of commercialization and regional development Robert T. Behunin noted that, "It is not every day that you get to start building a sensor that could dramatically impact the way in which we think about weather. The initiation of this first sensor build is a significant milestone for Utah State University and for our USTAR Program."

"The STORM™ sensor is a sophisticated scientific instrument that our team is uniquely suited to build," said AWS lab director Scott M. Jensen . "We are delighted at the opportunity to build this sensor and deliver it to GeoMetWatch."

STORM™will be the first in a series of sensors that AWS will build in the coming years. The deployment of these sensors will create a global constellation of hyperspectral sounders orbiting the Earth to provide the most accurate weather data yet. Current technologies in use are twenty plus years old and provide inadequate information.

"We are beginning an exciting journey," said USU President Stan L. Albrecht . "The STORM™ project has tremendous promise and represents Utah State University's most recent success in developing cutting edge technology that will have a positive global impact."

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1zDIP)

Utah State's Advanced Weather Systems lab to Build Space-Based Sensors

abigail.soderberg@gmail.com (Abby Soderberg) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:00:00 MST

LOGAN, Utah, Feb. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Utah State University announced today that it has created a new organization to advance the research, development and deployment of critical weather sensor technologies. USU's Advanced Weather Systems laboratory, which is a DBA of Utah State University's wholly owned subsidiary, the Advanced Weather Systems Foundation, houses a premier weather sensor technology team that will build state of the art weather sensors to provide critical weather information to customers.

Building upon Utah State's rich heritage of designing, manufacturing and testing state-of-the-art space based sensors at the Space Dynamics Laboratory, AWS will build the STORM™ -- Sounding & Tracking Observatory for Regional Meteorology -- instrument for its strategic partner, GeoMetWatch, a privately held company focused on the commercial development of technologically advanced space weather and environmental observation systems. The products and services from GeoMetWatch are available globally under an innovative fee-for-service data-buy model that enables its clients to meet their critical atmospheric data needs with optimum efficiency and affordability.

"We look forward to working with the innovative team at GeoMetWatch as they enable forecasters to better predict the path of hurricanes, give emergency planners more accurate weather data, and alert forecasters to potential severe weather development," saidRobert Behunin , Utah State's vice president of commercialization and member of the Advanced Weather Systems Foundation Board of Directors. "The AWS-built sensor will be the first of a constellation of hyperspectral sounders and is scheduled to be ready for a launch into geosynchronous orbit to serve as a one of the most advanced weather sensors to date."

STORM™ will be the first in a series of the GeoMetWatch constellation of satellites and is based on the Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer instrument built by the Space Dynamics Laboratory earlier this decade. GIFTS was successfully tested and calibrated as an engineering demonstration unit to ground?validate technologies critical to NOAA's Hyperspectral Environmental Suite program for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system.

AWS is uniquely positioned to work with and leverage public/private partnerships because of its affiliation with Utah State University and the State of Utah's Science Technology and Research (USTAR) program. AWS has, at its command, resources and expertise which enable it to be flexible and responsive to a wide variety of business and commercial scenarios.

"As our work on the first STORM™ sensor progresses, we will have more to announce in the coming days and weeks," Behunin said. "We are very pleased that AWS is moving forward and making great strides."

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1zz7s)

Center for Human Nutrition Studies Receives Grant for Diabetes Education

jacoba.mendelkow@usu.edu (Jacoba Mendelkow) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 MST

Senior Dietitian Sheryl Aguilar in the lab. Utah State University's newly-established Center for Human Nutrition Studies was awarded its first grant.

Utah State University’s newly-established Center for Human Nutrition Studies was awarded its first grant. The center, a contract research organization at the university, has already begun work to design and conduct clinical studies as part of a value generating system within USU.

Financed by the Utah Department of Health and the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, the grant was given to Senior Dietitian Sheryl Aguilar on behalf of her proposed diabetes and pre-diabetes programs for seniors 60 years or older.

“It’s a two-prong program,” Aguilar said. “The first is prevention to help seniors stay healthy and avoid getting diabetes. The second is intervention to help seniors manage their pre-diabetes and diabetes. We are looking to target the seniors at risk for diabetes and those with it already.”

Aguilar will collaborate with USU dietetic students working on practicum hours, offering the education courses at the Cache County Senior Center for seniors, including those with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

According to the DPCP, diabetes is a growing problem — more than 120,000 Utah adults have been diagnosed with diabetes and approximately 79 million adults in the United States have pre-diabetes.

“Seniors are at high risk for developing pre-diabetes and diabetes.” Aguilar said.

In Cache County alone, approximately 20 percent of people older than 60 have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Another 20 percent have pre-diabetes or undiagnosed diabetes.

Starting in August 2012, the program will continuously cycle through eight weeks of nutrition and exercise courses followed up by four weeks of diabetes-specific education courses. The diabetes curriculum will use the evidenced-based program Healthy Interactions Conversation Maps, based on the 10 national standards for diabetes self-management education.

“This funding will allow for the creation of a program that will be self-sustaining,” Aguilar said. “The course curriculum will be developed, USU dietetic students will teach it and we’ll be able to help residents for years to come.”

Aguilar’s proposal called for increased access to sustainable self-management education for people with diabetes by establishing quarterly education sessions among the rural and/or low income senior populations in the Bear River Area Agency on Aging. It also called for increased access to sustainable, evidence-based interventions to prevent or delay onset of type 2 diabetes among seniors in that population with pre-diabetes.

After the first year, the Center for Human Nutrition Studies plans to expand the program to other senior centers in the Bear River AAA.

“Commercial Enterprises at Utah State University is working with the Center for Human Nutrition Research to elevate the profile of this center,” said David Clark, director of business development. “Our goal is to channel funding and research opportunities through the Center of Human Nutrition Studies and create a self-sustaining unit within the university portfolio that can have an impact on the marketplace both in and outside of Utah.”

The Center for Human Nutrition Studies at Utah State University provides the organizational structure and logistic support for research scientists with interests in conducting clinical studies with an emphasis on nutrition. The center, with a core staff consisting of experienced clinical researchers, community interventionist, research dietitian, clinic coordinator, laboratory research associate and support staff, coupled with an outstanding clinical facility and research kitchen, is designed to serve as a resource to Utah State University researchers in efforts to secure extramural research funding and industry contracts and partnerships. The Center also provides opportunities to both undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to gain experience in the design and conduct of human nutrition clinical studies. The center is managed by the USTAR Applied Nutrition Research Team in conjunction with the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science and under the administrative oversight of the College of Agriculture.

Related link:

Center for Human Nutrition Studies

Writer: Betsy Blanchard

Contact: Jacoba Poppleton, 435-797-9608, jacoba.poppleton@usu.edu

Hitting A Milestone — Two USTAR Teams at Once

jacoba.mendelkow@usu.edu (Jacoba Mendelkow) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:00:00 MST

Randy Lewis and Irina Polejaeva with the two sets of transgenic twin goats.

At Utah State University, USTAR teams have reached new milestones by working together on genomic research projects resulting in two sets of transgenic twin goats. Double the research — double the fun.

USTAR at Utah State University was designed, in part, to foster collaboration between USTAR faculty and core university faculty to build on established university research areas of strength.

Two USTAR teams, represented by Randy Lewis, of the Synthetic BioManufacturing Institute, and Irina Polejaeva, of Veterinary Diagnostics and Infectious Diseases, worked together to design the goats using genomics technology. Both sets of twins were created with different proof of concept milestones in mind.

Lewis, a member of the Synthetic BioManufacturing Institute at USU, uses transgenic goats to produce milk with spider silk proteins. The proteins are purified and spun into fibers that can be used to create technical fabrics as well as artificial ligaments and tendons. Stronger than Kevlar and more flexible than nylon, Lewis’s spider silk has been used to craft a bullet resistant skin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYovfqB3ut0) and can be used to create a next generation solution for parachute cords.

Lewis selected his best spider silk milk producer, Daisy, gave her skin cells to the VDID team and asked it to create the first set of cloned spider goat twins born at Utah State University.

“Because we need large quantities of milk to get large quantities of silk, it makes sense to copy our best producer,” said Lewis.

Polejaeva, a member of the Veterinary Diagnostics and Infectious Diseases USTAR team at USU, is a cloning pioneer. In 2000 as a project manager at PPL Therapeutics, she and her team of scientists cloned the world’s first pig. Now working with goats — as goats that have been extensively used in Atrial fibrillation research — Polejaeva intends to model and answer questions regarding the nature and progression of the disease.

According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health, “Atrial fibrillation affects millions of people, and the numbers are rising. Men are more likely than women to have the condition. … The risk of AF increases as you age. … However, about half of the people who have AF are younger than 75.”

“Our goal is to have a better understanding of the mechanisms of this disease so that effective treatments for humans can be developed,” said Polejaeva. “The A-fib project is part of USU’s and the University of Utah’s USTAR collaboration efforts. This collaboration, with Lewis, moves us along in our collaboration with the University of Utah via the Utah Multidisciplinary Arrhythmia Consortium.”

Robert T. Behunin, vice president for commercialization and regional development at Utah State University, is pleased with the collaboration.

“Through collaborative efforts, both teams have been able to advance their science and achieve milestones more quickly than either team had originally planned,” he said. “The USTAR program at USU focuses on USU’s strength in life sciences. Our core of existing faculty and recent USTAR researchers make projects like this possible.”

About USTAR: The Utah Science Technology and Research initiative (USTAR) is a long-term, state-funded investment to strengthen Utah’s “knowledge economy” and generate high-paying jobs. Funded in March 2006 by the state legislature, USTAR is based on three program areas. The first area involves funding for strategic investments at the University of Utah and Utah State University to recruit world-class researchers. The second area is to build state-of-the-art interdisciplinary facilities at these institutions for the innovation teams. The third program area involves teams that work with companies and entrepreneurs across the state to promote science, innovation and commercialization activities. More information is available online or follow USTAR on Twitter.

Commercial Enterprises at Utah State University works closely with academic and industry partners to take university technologies into the marketplace. Commercial Enterprises protects Utah State University intellectual property and develops industry partnerships to leverage intellectual, financial and creative assets of Utah State University. More information about Commercial Enterprises at USU is online at the website or call 435-797-9603. For up to the minute news, follow on Twitter.

Writer and contact: Jacoba Poppleton, 435-797-9608, jacoba.poppleton@usu.edu

“Secrets of a Winning Proposal” --SBIR-STTR Seminar

jacoba.mendelkow@usu.edu (Jacoba Mendelkow) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:00:00 MST

In a series of regional half-day workshops, Mary Cardon, manager of USTAR’s SBIR-STTR Assistance Center, will present the dos and don’ts for SBIR-STTR grant proposals. The sessions are held in cooperation with local Small Business Development Centers.

The four-hour workshop will be held in Logan on June 21, 2012 from 9 am -1 pm in the Merrill-Cazier Library room 101 on the USU campus.

Workshop topics include:
• How to prepare before the agency solicitation comes out
• Tips on what to write and NOT to write
• Budget do’s and don’ts
• Three key steps to help your proposal to advance

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants are federal grant programs specifically for small entrepreneurial enterprises working on new technologies. They are a source of non-equity funding for emerging business research and development, and are available from 11 participating agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, the National Science Foundation and USDA.

Utah’s SBIR-STTR Assistance Center has a 25 percent success rate with proposals they assist with, and has helped more than 80 Utah companies in this process. In the last three years, Utah companies working with the Center have won more than $4.5 million in federal funding. The typical Phase I SBIR grant is a $150,000.

“The SBIR-STTR Assistance Center is a statewide resource,” said USTAR executive director Ted McAleer. “Mary Cardon and her team are committed to educating and working with small businesses across Utah.”

Registration is limited to 40 participants, and as an incentive for early registration, the first 20 spots are $10 per person, and the second 20 are $20 per person. Registration includes breakfast, lunch and free parking. Registration information and exact times and locations are available at www.innovationutah.com/sbir.html

SBIR/STTR Expert to Highlight “Secrets of a Winning Proposal” in Vernal, Logan and Price Workshops

jacoba.mendelkow@usu.edu (Jacoba Mendelkow) — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 MST

In a series of regional half-day workshops, Mary Cardon, manager of USTAR’s SBIR-STTR Assistance Center (SSAC), will present the dos and don’ts for SBIR-STTR grant proposals. The sessions are held in cooperation with local Small Business Development Centers (SBDC).

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants are federal grant programs specifically for small entrepreneurial enterprises working on new technologies. They are a source of non-equity funding for emerging business research and development, and are available from 11 participating agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, the National Science Foundation and USDA.

Utah’s SSAC has a 25 percent success rate with proposals they assist with, and has helped more than 80 Utah companies in this process. In the last three years, Utah companies working with the Center have won more than $4.5 million in federal funding. The typical Phase I SBIR grant is a $150,000.

Workshop topics include:

·      How to prepare before the agency solicitation comes out

·      Tips on what to write and NOT to write

·      Budget do’s and don’ts

·      Three key steps to help your proposal to advance

The four-hour workshops are scheduled:

Vernal – Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Logan - Thursday June 21, 2012, USU Merrill-Cazier Library, room 101

Price – Tuesday, June 26, 2012

“The SSAC is based at Salt Lake Community College’s Sandy campus, but it is a statewide resource,” said USTAR executive director Ted McAleer. “Mary Cardon and her team are committed to educating and working with small businesses across Utah.”

Registration is limited to 40 participants, and as an incentive for early registration, the first 20 spots are $10 per person, and the second 20 are $20 per person. Registration includes breakfast, lunch and free parking. Registration information and exact times and locations are available at www.innovationutah.com/sbir.html

What’s the BIG idea?—Finding Commercial Opportunities in Academic Endeavors

jacoba.mendelkow@usu.edu (Jacoba Mendelkow) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 MST

The office of Commercialization and Regional Development at Utah State University will visit the Regional Campus of Vernal and Roosevelt on May 2 and 3, 2012 (respectively) to engage faculty, students, staff and entrepreneurs on commercialization opportunities at USU.

“Our intent is to streamline the commercialization process by working with the talented faculty and staff of our Vernal and Roosevelt campuses to capitalize on research and teaching endeavors resulting in intellectual property,” said Robert T. Behunin, VP for Commercialization and Regional Development at Utah State University. “I know that exciting and innovative technologies are being developed in the Uintah Basin.”

The Uintah Basin visits are the second stops on the commercialization tour at Utah State University. Plans are being put in place at each of the regional campus offices to emphasize the impact faculty and community members have on local and state economies.

On May 2 at 3 pm, Joe Christison, a representative from the Commercial Enterprises team at Utah State University, will deliver one seminar aimed at increasing the awareness of opportunities for USU Vernal faculty, students and community members. The workshop will be held at the Vernal BEERC building, room 133, 320 North Aggie Blvd, Vernal.

On May 3 at 9 am, Christison will meet with faculty, students and community members at the Roosevelt USU classroom building, room 119, 987 East Lagoon Street, Roosevelt.

“The purpose of these workshops, and our plan to ‘take Commercial Enterprises on the road,’ is to engage with members of the USU community that work and live in the regional campus areas,” said Christison. “Faculty, students and members of the USU community may have valuable intellectual property that they aren’t sure what they should do with. Our job is to help them identify the next steps.”

“We are excited to introduce our USU Commercial Enterprises team to faculty, students, staff and community members of the Basin and continue to expand the land-grant research mission of our university,” said Behunin.

To register or learn more, visit http://ipso.usu.edu/htm/ip-workshop.

Commercial Enterprises at Utah State University works closely with academic and industry partners to take university technologies into the marketplace. Commercial Enterprises protects Utah State University intellectual property and develops industry partnerships to leverage intellectual, financial and creative assets of Utah State University. For more information on Commercial Enterprises at USU, visit http://crd.usu.edu or call 435-797-9603. For up to the minute news, follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/USU_IP.

Commercial Enterprises at Utah State University has moved and is now located at 1780 N. Research Park Way, Suite 108, North Logan UT. Business hours remain 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

Contact: Joe Christison, 435-797-9614, joe.christison@usu.edu

Writer: Jacoba Poppleton, 435-797-9608, jacoba.poppleton@usu.edu

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