PFI: Renewable Resource Materials: Developing a New Platform with a Purpose

凯斯西储大学（CWRU）的创新合作伙伴关系（PFI）项目专注于从研究到实现可再生资源领域的专业材料，如粘土，藻类，废塑料，油漆和油以及动物废物中发现的材料。 CWRU和可再生能源技术领域特种材料领域的四家小企业将共同探索一种新的合作模式，有可能改变研究人员和小企业在这个平台上的合作方式。这将导致更有成效的创新能力建设，为进入市场做好准备。这些小企业合作伙伴位于东北部俄亥俄州，是协同集群的一部分，该集群将在以后增强新应用的开发和商业化机会。研究团队包括合作伙伴公司，CWRU教师，博士生和工程与管理硕士学生，他们将弥合技术和商业问题。 另一个合作伙伴SRI International以其严格的创新过程而闻名于国际，将领导研究团队开展对创新培训至关重要的合作活动。 通过这一PFI，小企业将有机会在创新技术上相互合作，并与CWRU合作;四家公司中有两家之前没有与大学进行过重要的互动。此外，将与他们一起工作的确定的教师将积极发展他们在这一领域的研究活动。 因此，这一PFI正在促成一个由可再生资源制成的特种材料集群的出现，这将促进该地区的创新和高影响力的研发。这项研究的广泛影响如下：（1）培养新一代博士研究人员，在研究中深入考虑市场和社会需求，从而在全球创新经济中做出更富有成效的贡献，（2）开发和维持大型研究型大学与小公司之间新的富有成效的互动途径，这将有助于该地区的创新能力建设和可广泛利用的模式，以及（3）加强基于可再生资源的技术的开发和部署，这将对经济增长和国家安全做出积极贡献。 项目开始时的合作伙伴都是知识增强伙伴关系（KEP）单位的一部分，包括凯斯西储大学（高分子科学和工程系，土木工程系，机械和航空航天工程系，以及管理和工程学院）;四个小企业：Aeroclay Inc.（比奇伍德，俄亥俄州）;绿色创新有限责任公司（谷景，俄亥俄州）; NuVention解决方案公司（Valley View，俄亥俄州）;和Vadxx Energy LLC（Akron，俄亥俄州）;以及一家私营部门组织（非营利）：SRI International（门洛帕克，加利福尼亚州）。

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) focuses on the translation from research to realization in the field of specialty materials from renewable resources such as those found in clay, algae, waste plastics, paints and oils, and animal waste. CWRU and four small businesses in the specialty materials from renewables technology space will join together to explore a new model of cooperation with potential to change the way researchers and small businesses work together in this platform. This will result in more productive innovation capacity building to serve as preparation for enabling movement into the marketplace. The small business partners are located in N.E. Ohio and are a part of a synergistic cluster that will later serve to enhance opportunities for the development and commercialization of novel applications. Research teams include partner companies, CWRU faculty, PhD students, and Master of Engineering and Management students, who will bridge technology and business issues. An additional partner, SRI International, known internationally for its disciplined innovation process, will lead the research teams through collaborative activities key to their innovation training. Through this PFI, the small businesses will have the opportunity to collaborate on innovative technologies with each other and CWRU; two out of the four companies have not had significant prior interaction with universities. Moreover, the identified faculty members who will be working with them will be actively growing their research activities in this field. Consequently, this PFI is enabling the emergence of a cluster in specialty materials from renewable resources that will foster innovative and high impact research and development in the region. The broader impacts of this research are as follows: (1) to train a new generation of PhD researchers to deeply consider market and societal needs in the context of their research and thus contribute more productively in a global innovation economy, (2) develop and sustain new and productive paths of interaction between a major research university and small companies, leading to the building of innovation capacity in the region and a model that can be widely utilized, and (3) enhance the development and deployment of technologies based on renewable resources which will contribute positively to both economic growth and national security. Partners at the inception of the project are all part of the Knowledge Enhancement Partnership (KEP) unit, consisting of Case Western Reserve University (Departments of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and the Institute for Management and Engineering); four small businesses: Aeroclay Inc. (Beachwood, Ohio); Green Wave Innovation LLC (Valley View, Ohio); NuVention Solutions Inc. (Valley View, Ohio); and Vadxx Energy LLC (Akron, Ohio); and a private sector organization (not-for-profit): SRI International (Menlo Park, CA).