Auburn Research and Technology Foundation Executive Director Bill Dean has joined the Board of Directors for BIO Alabama. BIO Alabama is the leading advocate for Alabama's bioeconomy representing the state on a national and international stage and promoting the intellectual and innovative capital that makes Alabama a premier place to invest, start, and grow in bioscience.

Auburn's annual Student and Faculty Research Symposia bring researchers and creative scholars together in celebration of their discoveries and innovations. Whether the research is based in arts, sciences, and professional programs, or in developing solutions to meet the needs of society, research is a central component of Auburn University’s mission.

This year's showcase of graduate and undergraduate student research will be held virtually, March 29 - April 2, 2021. The event will give students an opportunity to share their research. Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to give oral presentations, posters, and creative scholarship presentations. Students from all disciplines are welcome to participate.

An Auburn University-developed disinfectant technology—related to one that had early commercial success as a water purification and filtration product during the 1990s and early 2000s—has new patent-protected licensing potential in the battle against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Medesol LLC, a medical technology firm in Bellevue, Washington, has entered into a technology licensing agreement with Auburn to commercialize an N-halamine-based technology developed by S.D. “Dave” Worley, a professor emeritus in Auburn’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Roy Broughton, a professor emeritus in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tung-Shi Huang, a professor of microbiology in the Department of Poultry Science, and others.

“We have worked with Dr. Worley and Auburn for more than 20 years,” said Simon Johnston, chief executive officer for Medesol. “When we learned about this new potential for the technology, we jumped to enter a licensing agreement with Auburn.”

“We firmly believe that this technology can be a significant factor in providing better protection against infections and the spread of diseases,” Johnston said. “We know from its earlier applications that it is a very effective antimicrobial medium. We believe that we are very close to proving its worth in the efforts to battle COVID-19 and future disease outbreaks.”

Both The Park and Auburn University are committed to promoting a culture of inclusion and diversity. Celebrations of Black History Month are taking place throughout our campus and community. Learn more about how you can join in.

Alabama Launchpad is the state’s most active early-stage seed fund investor, driving innovation and job growth through startup competitions and ongoing mentoring for Alabama entrepreneurs. Awards in the concept stage total $25K with an additional $50K available in the seed stages. Applications for the first cycle of competition will be accepted between 2/1/2021 and 3/1/2021.

from around The Park is a newly created publication from Auburn Research Park. CONVERGE aims to connect with members of The Park community and in turn, help them connect with one other and with university expertise.

Our goal is to highlight innovative activity in The Park and on campus, and link you to resources that may be useful to your organization–programs like Start In Auburn, an initiative from the Auburn Research and Technology Foundation, the City of Auburn, and Auburn University that connects entrepreneurs to a range of resources to help start and grow successful businesses.

Our Executive Director, Bill Dean, is quick to point out that The Park's most important resource is its people and so, with that in mind, we've created a staff spotlight section to give community members some insight into who we are, what we do, and how we can help you. For this issue, we're featuring Auburn Research and Technology Senior Director, Cary Chandler and welcoming student intern Drew Watson.

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Cary Chandler is the Auburn Research and Technology Foundation's Senior Director as well as the Director of Business Development and Startups for the university's Office of Innovation Advancement and Commercialization. In the four plus years he's been at Auburn, Cary has done it all, from real estate development to mentoring entrepreneurs, to helping license Auburn technology. A career as a serial entrepreneur combined with an absolute love for Auburn makes this Auburn grad a perfect fit for a role that is as unique as he is.

This semester, we are pleased to welcome an undergraduate student intern, Drew Watson. Drew is a senior majoring in physical activity and health, and minoring in marketing. Drew is drawing on each of these areas of study to develop and promote a system of paths in The Park for walkers and runners.

Activating the outdoor spaces in The Park provides opportunities for collaborative collisions between and among members of The Park community and promotes both physical and emotional well-being. In addition to laying out the paths, Drew will be developing related programing and events to kick things off and get folks moving.

"I am excited to highlight the beauty, safety, and serenity of the available walking paths while also drawing visitors to the area. The Park is a hidden treasure for walkers, joggers and riders, and also has plenty of parking. My hope is to utilize the pathways to create interest and excitement for The Park," said Watson.

Besides being part of The Park team, Drew is a member of the Auburn Gymnastics team. In 2020, Drew earned First Team All-America in Vault as well as All SEC.