AURP is saddened to share our dear friend, Charlie Dilks, passed away peacefully at home on December 28th, 2024, at 83. His life was a testament to his life motto – carpe diem – seize the day. Tying his business and philanthropic work to his love for the outdoors, he stitched together diverse interests to form a vibrant life characterized by integrity and enthusiasm.

Charlie was a friend to all, and always ready to offer his kindness and support. He served as a mentor and trusted advisor to those new to the research park community, staying at the forefront of the evolution of research parks and innovation districts, especially with this thoughtful dialogue with veteran members.

An AURP Past President (1998-2000), Charlie was a founding member, convening peers to establish the Association in 1986. He was an integral link between the first generation of AURP leaders to those who followed. In later lean years, it was through his support and guidance that the organization turned into the thriving network of today.

Charlie was a distinguished and inspiring leader having received the AURP Appreciation Award (2021), Career Achievement Award (2001) and served on the Board of Directors for many years. Read more. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his name to the organizations that Charlie loved and supported during his lifetime, including: AURP, c/o HBL CPAs, 5470 E. Broadway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85711 or online.

WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY FOR PARK COMPANIES:

Federal Funding for Autonomous Tech

Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 1:00pm-2:30pm ET

This virtual workshop explores federal funding opportunities designed to support the journey from initial concept to marketplace readiness. SBIR and STTR programs offer R&D funding to bridge the gap between innovative ideas and demonstratable market potential.

Geared for tenant companies IN YOUR research park or tech hub, this workshop covers:

• SBIR/STTR eligibility criteria
• Necessary registration steps
• How to identify agencies interested in funding your specific technology
• Common misconceptions and other key insights

SHARE with entrepreneurs in your community or region!

Register now!

AURP Launches COMMUNITY PULSE

Virtual Forum Featuring

USF Research Park's Allison Madden

Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 2:30pm-3:00pm ET

We're excited to unveil our Member-only Community Pulse series! These forum sessions will offer members a platform to share their unique Community of Innovation, plus engage in discussion with peers. Don't miss this the opportunity to learn from and interact with colleagues.

AURP President Allison Madden, MBA, Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary at the University of South Florida Research Park, will kick off peer to peer discussion in this live online member forum!

Join us each month to learn from your peers "one beat at a time" at AURP's Community Pulse:

FEBRUARY 20, 2:30pm ET | WEST VIRGINIA REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY PARK

Matt Ballard, CEO & Executive Director, WVRTP

MARCH 13, 2:30pm ET | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-LOS ANGELES 

Hal Monbouquette, PhD, Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, UCLA Samueli School of Engineering

APRIL 17, 2:30pm ET | MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY INNOVATION CAMPUS

Mark Sharpe, Executive Directors, MSU Innovation Campus

Step up to the plate! 2025 Spring Training (February 24-27) takes place at a spectacular new venue: Omni Tempe Hotel!

Let the networking and knowledge-sharing begin for your Community of Innovation! Book NOW to receive early bird rates.

Themed New Beginnings: Voices of Impact, seize the opportunity to join fellow innovators and thought leaders in exploring the power of storytelling to shape the future of research and innovation!

As usual, Spring Training promises to be a sell-out event – spots fill up quickly!

To ensure you don't miss out on this transformative experience, register as soon as possible!

The City of Slater, Iowa has issued a RFP for the redevelopment of a city-owned building at 321 Main Street, located in the historic downtown business district. While the city envisions transforming the property into a food and dining destination, they are open to all quality proposals for this public-private partnership opportunity. The prime location offers strategic advantages, including proximity to the Heart of Iowa and High Trestle trails, positioning between Ames (home of the Iowa State Research Park) and Ankeny, and connection to new housing developments and sports facilities. Mayor Taylor Christensen emphasizes the building's significance as a cornerstone of historic Main Street, while Ames Regional Economic Alliance President Dan Culhane highlights how the project will complement Story County's growing trail corridor. Interested developers can access the full RFP on the City of Slater website, with proposals due by 4:00pm CST on February 14, 2025, at Slater City Hall. Learn more.

Resources & Announcements

NSF invests $15M in Four Academic Institutions

for Cybersecurity Scholarships

The NSF is awarding nearly $15 million in CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) grants to four academic institutions, with Washington State University, Iowa State University, George Mason University and The Ohio State University receiving awards to train the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan highlighted the program's 25-year history of addressing the critical shortage of cybersecurity professionals, with an emphasis on AI and autonomous systems security. The program, which spans 43 states, provides full scholarships and stipends to students who commit to working in cybersecurity roles for federal, state, local or tribal government organizations after graduation. Read more.

U.S. Economic Development Administration Reauthorized by Congress for First Time in 20 Years  

The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has achieved a historic milestone with its first formal reauthorization by Congress since 2004, as part of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024. The reauthorization allows the agency to continue providing grants and support to communities nationwide, with the EDA having directed nearly $6 billion in investments across almost every state and federal territory from January 2021 through November 2024.

The reauthorization includes several key modernizations to the agency's capabilities, including the establishment of an Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience, codification of industry-led workforce training partnerships, and enhanced support for broadband projects through the inclusion of the E-BRIDGE Act. The legislation, which received bipartisan support, also improves the EDA's operational efficiency by formalizing its relationship with Regional Commissions and permanently enacting its disaster hiring authority, enabling quicker responses to future disasters. Read more.

Administration Honors National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology and Innovation Awardees

President Biden honored distinguished recipients of the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation at a White House ceremony this week, celebrating remarkable achievements in research and innovation. The prestigious awards went to 14 National Medal of Science recipients and 9 individual National Medal of Technology and Innovation recipients, along with two organizations.

Notably, all National Medal of Science recipients and eight of the nine National Medal of Technology and Innovation recipients received NSF funding during their careers, highlighting NSF's crucial role in nurturing scientific talent and advancing groundbreaking research. Read more.

The U.S. Commerce Department and Natcast – the operator of the National Semiconductor Technology Center – announced the selection of Arizona as the site of the co-located NSTC Prototyping and NAPMP Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility. Located at ASU Research Park, this site is the third of three CHIPS for America research and development flagship facilities. The new facility will combine semiconductor research and prototyping for front-end manufacturing and packaging capabilities, meeting a unique need for advanced packaging R&D within the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem. Read more.

U.S. Bank is set to join the University of Cincinnati's 1819 Innovation Hub this month, becoming the second Fortune 500 company from outside Ohio to establish a presence at the facility. The bank will be located on the third floor of the Innovation Hub, which now hosts seven Fortune 500 companies and serves as the nerve center of the Cincinnati Innovation District, a partnership launched in 2020 among JobsOhio, UC, and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center to accelerate regional growth in talent, research and entrepreneurship. Read more.

Bedrock, a Detroit's real estate firm, has unveiled plans for a 14-acre innovation district at a former jail site in the city, marking a significant transformation for the long-vacant property, according to Urbanize Detroit. The development will feature a 220,000-square-foot Life Science Innovation Building, anchored by BAMF Health, which will dedicate 45,000 square feet to cancer detection and research. The project brings together a coalition of partners including Michigan Innovation Headquarters, Ferris State University, Wayne State University, and TechTown, with MI-HQ managing 150,000 square feet of lab space. Read more. 

George Mason University has unveiled Fuse, a $254 million cutting-edge research hub in Arlington, VA, set to open in Fall 2025 as part of the state's Tech Talent Investment Program. The 345,000-square-foot facility, funded by George Mason, the state and Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate, will house specialized labs for robotics and virtual reality, with office spaces, retail areas and classrooms. The building, which has already secured cybersecurity firm Cybastion as its first tenant and filled 75% of its commercial space, will serve as home to the university's Institute for Digital Innovation and new School of Computing. At the opening ceremony, George Mason President Gregory Washington emphasized the importance of partnership between research universities, industry and community in strengthening innovation ecosystems. Read more.

The Michigan State University Research Foundation, established in 1973, has marked over 50 years of driving innovation and economic growth through research and entrepreneurship at MSU. In 2023-24, the foundation, led by Jeff Smith, AURP Vice President, awarded $11.8 million in grants, contributing to nearly $400 million in total funding since its inception.

Through various initiatives including the MSU Research Foundation Professorships, venture funding programs and innovation spaces across Michigan, the foundation has supported over 200 active companies that have raised more than $1.2 billion in co-investments and created over 1,400 jobs. Notable successes include Redoxblox, a renewable energy storage startup that recently secured a $40 million Series A funding round. Read more.

NC State University is marking the 40th anniversary of its Centennial Campus, a pioneering venture that transformed 805 acres of former state hospital land into a thriving nexus of academic and industrial collaboration. The campus's origins trace to 1984, when then-Governor Jim Hunt transferred the first 355 acres from the Dorothea Dix property to NC State, followed by an additional 450 acres granted by Governor Jim Martin in 1985. These bipartisan land transfers laid the foundation for what would become one of the nation's most innovative research campuses.

Under the early guidance of Claude McKinney, former Dean of the College of Design, Centennial Campus and recipient of the 2002 AURP Career Achievement Award, Centennial Campus was conceived as more than just an expansion of NC State's footprint.

The campus has evolved into a unique ecosystem where academic researchers work side-by-side with private industry partners to address societal challenges and drive economic growth. Today, the campus stands as a testament to the vision of creating a space where academia, industry and government could converge to foster innovation and advance North Carolina's economic competitiveness. 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 Doing Good: The Economic and Social Impact of the University of Notre Dame!

We're ready to include 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 Real Estate Development – University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
• Associate Vice President for Research Administration – University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
• Associate Vice President for Research Advancement – University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
• President and Chief Executive Officer – Nexus Louisiana (Baton Rouge, LA)
• Communications Manager – UC Davis / Aggie Square
• Vice Provost for Research and Innovation – Naval Postgraduate School (Monterey, CA)
• Operations and Tenant Engagement Manager – Montgomery College (Rockville, MD)
• Founding Dean – Vanderbilt University (College of Connected Computing)
• Technology Manager – University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Intellectual Property Manager – University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Associate Vice President for Business Engagement – Georgia Southern University
• Executive Vice President for Research – Georgia Institute of Technology