U News | Tennessee Tech, Roane State, and ORNL announce unique partnership
The 2025 Colorado Sustainability Challenge starts with the kickoff on Sunday, September 28.
From Tennessee Tech University and Roane State Community College:
Tennessee Tech University deepened its partnership with Roane State Community College and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) with the signing of an articulation agreement creating a clear path for Roane State transfer students pursuing degrees with an emphasis area in project management.
The new degree pathway is a 2+2 program, meaning students can complete a bachelor’s degree from Tech without the need to relocate to Cookeville. Between online classes and in-person courses that will be offered at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus, students can finish out the full four-year program entirely with Roane State.
The academic emphasis in project management and project controls was developed in collaboration with the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), helping to build a capable workforce and match needs for one of the region’s largest employers.
ORNL provided a member of its staff, Gregory Capps, to lead the effort at Roane State. Additionally, the courses were structured so that students could earn a Project Management Institute (PMI) Certification while enrolled for their associate degree.
From the University of Michigan:
University of Michigan (U-M) researchers and faculty reported more new inventions and executed more commercialization agreements with companies than ever before during the past fiscal year. According to a recent news release from U-M, researchers and faculty generated 673 invention reports in fiscal year 2025, topping the previous record of 615. They also signed 326 license and option agreements, a jump of more than 50 new agreements from the previous year.
In addition to the increase in new inventions, 31 start-up companies were launched to support the commercialization of U-M research discoveries. This is the second time in U-M’s history that more than 30 start-up companies were launched in a year. Spanning diverse sectors, these new companies are developing cutting-edge solutions in areas such as diabetes management, digital security, athletic performance, and early childhood education.
Innovation Partnerships, the university’s nexus of research commercialization activity, recently announced its numbers for the fiscal year that ended June 30. The numbers provide key insights into the breadth and depth of U-M’s innovation ecosystem and will be highlighted at this year’s Celebrate Invention event on September 24.
“University of Michigan researchers and faculty are some of the best in the country and are continually developing innovative ways to solve some of today’s greatest problems,” said Arthur Lupia, U-M Vice President for Research and Innovation.
From the University of Colorado, Boulder:
Hosted by the University of Colorado Boulder’s (CU Boulder) Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative, the Colorado Sustainability Challenge (CSC) is a collaborative forum for anyone passionate about solving problems, teaming up on an idea, and having fun in the process of building a solution to impact sustainability. Participants come from all academic disciplines—ranging from the Humanities to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—and have a shot at winning a share of thousands of dollars.
The CSC is a chance to turn bold ideas into real-world impact. The event over two weeks, is open to students, faculty, and staff at all Colorado Front Range colleges and universities.
The 2025 Colorado Sustainability Challenge starts with the CSC Kickoff at 6 p.m. MDT on Sunday, September 28, where teams form, learn about challenge specifics, and begin brainstorming their creative solutions. During the next two weeks, participants have chances to meet with experienced mentors, build prototypes, and turn ideas into reality. The challenge culminates with the finals at CU Boulder on October 12.
From the University of Connecticut:
The University of Connecticut (UConn) will host its first-ever Tech Showcase on September 18, gathering some of the state’s top innovators in celebration of groundbreaking research and entrepreneurial talent.
The Showcase will provide opportunities for established professionals, newcomers, and students alike. It will feature cutting-edge business start-ups, presentations from career-motivated postgraduate students, expert insights from UConn faculty, and achievements in the University’s groundbreaking research.
“Connecticut is a national leader in the innovative ideas and research that build new technology and improve our understanding of industry and workforce development,” says UConn President Radenka Maric. “UConn is at the center of that legacy and will help drive a successful future, with our students, faculty, and innovators at the forefront. We look forward to the insights that our state and University leaders will provide at the Showcase, as well as providing a medium for our startups to make their own mark.”
From Villanova University:
This year, the John F. Scarpa Center for Entrepreneurship and Law at Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law celebrates its 10th anniversary. Serving as a hub for innovative law and business strategy, the Center engages students in the practical application of their law studies and better prepares them for today’s business-centric legal practice.
“This groundbreaking initiative has helped to prepare students of today to take on the challenges of tomorrow’s world,” says John Scarpa, a cellular communications entrepreneur and business leader whose generosity helped establish the Center and other initiatives at Villanova. “Its entrepreneurial culture empowers the next generation of leaders with the skills and confidence to embrace innovation, take risks and create the solutions needed for our future.”
Under the current directorship of MarySheila McDonald, John F. Scarpa Professor of Entrepreneurship, the Center has experienced growth in the number of student Scarpa Fellows, academic courses, interactive programming, and guest lecturers. Students have a number of opportunities to complement their classwork with experiential learning, such as the student-managed and edited Forum on Entrepreneurship & Law Blog, which explores substantive legal and business issues affecting entrepreneurs and startups.
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