U News | Tennessee Tech sets all-time record for externally funded research
IBM and the University of Chicago have announced their intent to offer start-ups in the Duality accelerator resources and support to develop quantum software.
From Tennessee Tech University:
Tennessee Tech University set an all-time record for externally funded research for the fifth year in a row, according to university administrators.
The university topped $47.9 million in externally funded research for fiscal year 2025, supported by 193 research activations. The total figure for the fiscal year, which ended June 30, surpasses Tech’s previous record by nearly $2 million, even as institutions across the country faced challenging headwinds from changing federal regulations and grantmaking policy.
“This strong performance reflects the talents and dedication of our faculty, and the continued growth of our research enterprise,” said John Liu, Interim Provost and Vice President for Research at Tech. “It also highlights the breadth of research work happening across campus, from cutting-edge science and engineering, to cybersecurity, education, environment, health, agriculture, and the arts.”
Liu has also tapped Michael Aikens, Tech’s Assistant Vice President for Economic Development, to oversee university research during this period of transition. On campus, Aikens is best known for leading Tech’s Center for Rural Innovation & Rural Reimagined, part of Tech’s research division dedicated to helping rural, distressed, and at-risk counties with small business assistance, tourism branding support, economic impact studies, and poverty alleviation.
From the University of South Florida:
The University of South Florida (USF) has launched a new academic partnership with COAST Autonomous, a leading provider of autonomous mobility solutions, to accelerate research in self-driving vehicle technology and expand workforce training opportunities for the next generation of engineers.
Through this collaboration, COAST will share its expertise in autonomous systems used across commercial, industrial, and government sectors, ranging from airports and seaports to rail and logistics operations. In parallel, USF College of Engineering researchers will create a high-fidelity digital twin simulation platform to model and test autonomous systems under realistic, complex conditions. This “vehicle-in-the-loop” approach will allow for rigorous safety and performance validation before deploying technologies in real-world environments.
The partnership is designed to address both technical and societal challenges surrounding the adoption of self-driving vehicles. Research will examine how communities perceive and interact with autonomous technologies while exploring new ways to ensure their safety, reliability, and trustworthiness.
In addition to research, the alliance will create experiential learning opportunities for USF students. By working alongside COAST engineers, students will gain practical skills in autonomy, robotics, and AI-enabled mobility solutions, preparing them for leadership roles in a rapidly evolving transportation industry.
COAST Autonomous, based in Pasadena, CA, has built a reputation for designing autonomous technologies that address some of the most demanding use cases in environments that are often hazardous, labor-intensive, or operationally complex. By integrating COAST’s proven systems with USF’s advanced research and simulation capabilities, the partnership aims to accelerate the path from laboratory innovation to practical deployment.
From the University of California Berkeley:
The University of California (UC) Berkeley’s planned Innovation Zone on the west side of campus gained significant momentum as a result of the approval earlier this month of a new laboratory building devoted to health and agricultural applications of CRISPR gene editing and growth space for entrepreneurial start-ups.
The UC Regents approved the Innovative Genomics Institute-Bakar Labs building during a regularly scheduled board meeting in Los Angeles. The seven-story building, supported by private philanthropy, is expected to open during the 2028-29 academic year. It will allow the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), founded 10 years ago by Jennifer Doudna, CRISPR Co-Inventor and a UC Berkeley Professor, to expand in response to ever-growing applications of the revolutionary gene-editing tool. The IGI’s labs are currently located in a building on Berkeley Way, a block from the Innovation Zone.
“The IGI has doubled in size over the past five years, and this new facility represents a critical step in advancing our research capabilities,” said Doudna. “With dedicated space for new research projects and interdisciplinary collaboration, we can tackle increasingly complex questions in genome editing and accelerate the development of CRISPR applications that address real-world challenges.”
The IGI-Bakar Labs building will also provide much-needed space for Bakar Labs startup companies that have successfully outgrown their incubator facilities and are ready to move to larger office and laboratory space, yet want to remain within the Berkeley ecosystem.
From James Madison University:
Diane Durance, a veteran of 19 years leading government, university, and nonprofit business-development organizations throughout the mid-Atlantic and upper Midwest regions, has been named as the incoming executive director of the Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship (GCFE).
Located within James Madison University’s College of Business, the GCFE exists to help students pursuing any major across the campus connect their vision for a business or nonprofit venture with the steps necessary to bring it to life.
Durance’s appointment takes effect September 2 when she succeeds Suzanne Bergmeister, who is retiring. She joins the GCFE after several years as an independent consultant providing expert guidance to entrepreneurial support organizations and start-ups in Michigan. Prior to that, Durance served as the Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. While at UNC Wilmington, she led cross-campus and regional collaborations, launched a mentor network, championed economic development, and helped grow new ventures in sectors ranging from software and renewable energy to healthcare and marine sciences.
From the University of Chicago:
IBM and the University of Chicago have announced their intent to offer Duality start-ups resources and support to develop quantum software and explore algorithms and applications that could help unlock the potential of quantum computers. This includes access to the IBM Quantum System Two planned to be deployed at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP). Selected startups will be provided with funding from IBM, as well as access to IBM’s quantum computers over the cloud and technical expertise.
Duality is the nation’s first quantum start-up accelerator led by multiple research and industry leaders, including the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago and the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE), along with founding partners: the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Argonne National Laboratory, and P33. This plan expands IBM’s support of UChicago’s goal of identifying and co-developing a pipeline of quantum computing startups while cementing the Midwest’s leadership in quantum innovation.
“The University of Chicago is proud to play a leading role in building the quantum economy—advancing breakthrough science, supporting start-ups, and shaping technologies that will power everything from the highest-resolution sensors to next-generation computing. Partnering with IBM reflects the kind of cross-sector collaboration that makes Chicago’s quantum ecosystem so strong. Together, we’re not just accelerating innovation—we’re helping secure the nation’s technological future,” said Nadya Mason, Interim Vice President for Science, Innovation, and Partnerships at the University and Dean of the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering.
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