For this week's "One Text With . . . ", we're very happy to connect with Jerry Cabrera, President and CEO of Elevate Southwest, which works to foster an advanced regional workforce that meets the needs of current and future employers in the Greater Yuma, AZ Region.

AURP: "Hi Jerry! What are some cool, new projects happening at Elevate Southwest?"

Jerry: "Elevate Southwest is blasting off as a finalist in the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program, with a shot at up to $160 million in funding over the next decade. This game-changing investment could launch 2,500-3,000 new jobs and fuel nearly $2 billion in annual industrial growth, turning Yuma, AZ into a powerhouse of innovation and aerospace excellence."

AURP: "Jerry - this is great stuff – let us know news updates on this terrific effort!"

Thank you Iowa State Research Park for Hosting our I2RP Visit!

Thank you, Iowa State University and ISU Research Park, especially Rick Sanders, Alison Doyle and Stacy Dreyer, for hosting the AURP Insights into Research Parks (I2RP). We are grateful for our AURP friends and colleagues from across the country who attended this gathering!

This is what AURP is all about – sharing strategies of success, ambitious plans for the future plus dynamic and prosperous university ecosystems – all of this is the foundation of our AURP culture of innovation.

Thank you all again for a Cyclone of a time!! 

COMMUNITY PULSE

The Beach at

University of New Orleans

June 12, 2:30 pm ET

Community Pulse sessions are a HIT!

June's member-sharing discussion features Shafin Khan, VP, Innovation and Technology Commercialization with The Beach at UNO

BIO HEALTH CAUCUS

June 15-16, 2025

Boston, MA

As AURP and the BIO industry gathers (June 16-19), challenges loom: federal funding cutbacks, shifting policies, tariffs, and global uncertainty are sending ripples through the life science real estate sector. To help navigate what’s next, at AURP's 2025 BIO Health Caucus plan to converge with experts and insiders

COMMUNITY PULSE

Churchill Technology & Business Park

August 14, 2:30 pm ET

Community Pulse sessions are a HIT!

August's member-sharing discussion features Neil Schneider, Director of Churchill Technology & Business Park (Avondale, LA), JEDCO

Stay in the Loop! Our Past Community Pulse Webinars Now On-Demand

AURP Members! Our Community Pulse webinar series is a big hit – and the buzz keeps growing!

Missed a session? Or want to rewatch your favorites? No problem.

All past Community Pulse webinars are available on demand. Just log in to the Member Portal on our website and click the "Community Pulse Webinar Recordings" link to catch up anytime!

The AURP 2025 BIO Health Caucus (June 15-16 in Boston) will be held just prior to BIO's International Convention on June 16!

Agenda highlights and speakers, include:

✅ "Bio Hubs Across the Country: What's Hot and What's Not?" with Alex Philippidis, Senior Business Editor, GEN News

✅ "Life Science Labs of the Future" with Kurt Fullbeck, Director of IU LAB Initiatives and Partnerships, Indiana University

✅ "Bio Manufacturing in Space: The Future of New Drugs and Devices" with representatives invited from Tech Connect, MassChallenge and CASIS International Space Station National Lab

Be a part of AURP's 2025 BIO Health Caucus

Register Today

Updates: AURP NIH F&A Alert

Visit AURP's special Resource Guide on NIH Facilities & Administrative Costs of Research – "What It Means For Bio Communities of Innovation and How to Get Involved."

AURP is actively collaborating with industry partners, the research community, academia, and others to address the federal government’s investment in critical technologies for national competitiveness.

Return often for regular updates including for recent NSF Implementation of Executive Orders (updated 04.25.2025).

How Much Does Each State Stand to Lose? (interactive map) Credit: Jeff Murphy

RFI: Master Developer at the Albuquerque International Sunport

The City of Albuquerque’s Aviation Department is seeking information from qualified Master Developers interested in partnering with the City to develop various properties located on and around the Albuquerque International Sunport (“Sunport’). The RFI questions deadline is May 19, 2025 and its closing date is May 26, 2025. Learn more.

Resources & Announcements

UC Davis Inaugurates $1.1B

Aggie Square Innovation District

UC Davis has officially inaugurated Aggie Square, a $1.1 billion innovation district on its Sacramento campus, marking the culmination of eight years of planning. The 11-acre development features 767,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities, including laboratories, classrooms, and community spaces, designed to foster collaboration between academia, industry and the local community.

At the opening ceremony, UC Davis announced partnerships with South Korea's FLANN Inc. and HM Venture Partners to support early-stage life science companies entering the U.S. market. Additionally, an agreement with The March Group aims to develop a business accelerator based on UC Davis intellectual property.

"The ribbon is cut. The doors are officially open! Congratulations to our AURP friends at Aggie Square and the University of California, Davis," posted AURP CEO Vickie Palmer, who was in attendance at the event. "AURP partners Wexford Science & Technology, LLC and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company along with university and city leaders are change makers in the region. I’m so proud of these members and leaders within the AURP network. Congratulations!" Read more.

Our congratulations to the UC Davis and Aggie Square community!

NSF Sets 15% Indirect Cost Rate for University

Research Grants Effective May 5, 2025

NSF recently announced that, as of May 5, 2025, it's implementing a standardized indirect cost rate of up to 15% for all new grants and cooperative agreements awarded to institutions of higher education. The 15% rate applies to modified total direct costs and does not affect existing awards. At the same time, the American Council on Education, the Association of American Universities and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities have filed a lawsuit to block this move. Read more.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has appointed Chad Walton as the new Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation. In this role, Walton will oversee strategic initiatives to enhance the university's research capabilities and foster innovation across various disciplines. His extensive experience in research administration and commitment to advancing scientific inquiry are expected to contribute significantly to UH Mānoa's mission of academic excellence and community engagement. Read more.​

The Sandia Science & Technology Park (SS&TP) Architectural Control Committee has unanimously approved the Public Service Company of New Mexico’s (PNM) site plans for a new 60 MW, 4-hour Energy Storage System (ESS) facility within the SS&TP site. Construction is underway on the 5.3-acre site, which will house 72 lithium-ion battery containers designed to improve energy reliability for southeast Albuquerque, Sandia National Laboratories and the SS&TP. Fully compliant with the SS&TP Master Development Plan, the unmanned, remotely operated facility will be concealed behind a 12-foot wall and surrounded by full landscaping. Read more.​

New York University (NYU) has signed a long-term lease for over 1 million square feet at 770 Broadway in Manhattan’s NoHo neighborhood, a major step in expanding its research infrastructure. The move will allow NYU to consolidate key research, academic and administrative units into a single, modern hub designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. Formerly occupied by Meta, the Vornado-owned building offers flexible space that aligns with NYU’s strategic goal of enhancing its capacity for groundbreaking scholarship and research-driven impact. Read more.​

SK hynix has announced a nearly $4 billion investment to establish an advanced semiconductor packaging and R&D facility in Purdue Research Park. This state-of-the-art plant will focus on producing next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, essential for AI applications like ChatGPT, and is expected to create over 1,000 jobs. The facility, slated to begin mass production in the second half of 2028, represents a significant step in bolstering the U.S. semiconductor supply chain and positions Indiana as a burgeoning hub in the "Silicon Heartland." The project is further supported by up to $458 million in CHIPS Act funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Read more.

​The University of Utah is seeking congressional support to secure the future of its Research Park, host of AURP's 2021 International Conference and a key innovation and economic hub. University of Utah President Taylor Randall testified before the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee last month, highlighting new federal interpretations of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act that threaten the university's control over the 593-acre park site, which it has developed since 1968. Proposed legislation, the University of Utah Research Park Act (H.R. 2876), aims to affirm the park's current uses and permit future developments like student housing and a transit hub. Without this legislative clarification, the university's plans for modernization and growth could be jeopardized. Read more.

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has opened its $80 million Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center (AMAC) – a cutting-edge facility that cements UTEP’s role as a national leader in aerospace innovation and STEM workforce development. This project features corporate engagement and deep collaboration with more than 100 industry partners and 10 federal agencies – including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Department of Defense. These partnerships fuel groundbreaking research in space robotics, moon habitation and advanced 3D printing, plus launch UTEP students into careers with companies like Boeing, Blue Origin, and SpaceX. Read more.

Port San Antonio, once a logistics hub on the site of the former Kelly Air Force Base, has transformed into a leading center for cybersecurity and advanced technology, according to a profile in fDi Intelligence. Since its 2017 redevelopment into "Tech Port," the 1,900-acre campus has attracted over 1,000 cybersecurity professionals and numerous defense contractors and startups. San Antonio has drawn more interstate investment from U.S. cybersecurity firms than any other city since 2019, with Port San Antonio capturing the majority due to its proximity to military operations and a robust talent pool. The campus is undergoing further expansion, including new office developments, to support its growing role in national security, infrastructure protection and economic diversification. Read more.

The University Financing Foundation (TUFF) has strengthened its partnership with Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU) through the acquisition of the Woodlands on Green Bay, a 342-bed residential community adjacent to RFU's campus in northern Chicago. Previously owned by a third party, the property will now be master leased to RFU under a 10-year agreement, ensuring long-term access to high-quality student housing. This strategic move builds upon TUFF and RFU's collaboration, which began in 2017 with the development of the 100,000-square-foot Innovation and Research Park. The acquisition underscores TUFF’s holistic approach to supporting higher education by investing in infrastructure that enhances both academic and residential experiences. Read more.

Texas A&M-Fort Worth has been selected to host the new Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies (CAAT), a federal aviation technology testing program led by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The center, according to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, will feature an airspace laboratory and testing corridors throughout Texas to research technologies including drones, air taxis and supersonic aircraft. The CAAT will collaborate with multiple universities and organizations to advance aviation technologies for integration into the National Airspace System, with Texas A&M-Fort Worth's downtown campus expected to complete its first building by summer 2026. The campus also will anchor a new innovation district. Read more.

The University of Maryland (home to the Discovery District) will be the host of the new Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub at its Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), in collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the state of Maryland. This initiative, part of DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, aims to evaluate quantum computing prototypes for national security and commercial applications. Both DARPA and Maryland have pledged up to $100 million each over four years to support this effort. Nearly 20 quantum computing companies will participate in the initial phase, with the hub providing rigorous testing to assess the viability of their approaches. Read more.

Eli Lilly and Company has broken ground on the Lilly Medicine Foundry, a $4.5 billion advanced manufacturing facility in Lebanon, Indiana, located within the LEAP (Limitless Exploration/Advanced Pace) Innovation and Research District. Scheduled to open in late 2027, the state-of-the-art facility will significantly boost medicine production – up to 400% more capacity to help speed treatments to patients worldwide. It will also create 400 high-skill jobs in engineering, science and operations. This project adds to Lilly’s growing presence in Boone County and supports Indiana’s ambition to transform the LEAP District into a global hub for innovation and life sciences. Read more.

#AURPinAction

Economic Impact Reports

Research parks, innovation districts and tech hubs are strong economic, job-creating engines and contribute to economic development in local communities, regions, states and nations.

Our AURP website features current impact studies that illustrate the dynamic impact of university research parks, innovation districts and tech hubs.

Check out Tufts University's 2024 Economic and Community Impact Report!

Share your impact report on our website! Learn more.

AURP CAREER CENTER

Check out the AURP Career Center to discover your

next career opportunity, including:



• Executive Director of Research Development – University of Minnesota in Twin Cities
• Executive Director – TEX-E (Houston, TX)
• Vice-President, Research and Innovation – The University of Ottawa
• Curtis Prime Endowed Professor of Quantum Computing – Rensselaer Polytechnic University
• President – University of Louisiana Monroe
• Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs – University of Toledo
• Wadhwani Endowed Chair in Clinical and Translational Research – The University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences and Sanford Health-Fargo