Institute for Social Science Research

Innovate UA aims to accelerate the capacity for translational research at The University of Alabama fortifying its role as a flourishing regional innovation ecosystem. Fostering an innovative and entrepreneurial culture on campus that leads to increased technology commercialization, one of the key objectives, will be accomplished through university led private-public partnerships (P3s). The latter amalgamate diverse academia, government, and industry stakeholders to drive technological  advancements and address systemic/societal challenges through use-inspired research, thus, unleashing new ideas, talent, pathways and resources to create a vibrant innovation ecosystem. Innovate UA proposes to: 1) Cultivate targeted early partnerships between researchers and industry, 2) broaden institutional capacity for translational research within UA’s Technology Transfer Office, namely, the Office for Innovation & Commercialization, 3) enhance entrepreneurial knowledge among our research community (including underrepresented postdoctoral researchers and graduate students) through training programs that prepare participants for nonacademic careers, and 4) eliminate typical institutional barriers that hinder effective and inclusive research translation via policy advocacy.