SUPERIOR-Innovation across the state of Wisconsin was highlighted at the 2024 WiSys SPARK Symposium, hosted by UW-Superior on July 24-26. 160 faculty, staff, students, and community members from across the Universities of Wisconsin attended the annual event, where research, innovation, and entrepreneurship collide.
UW-Superior Chancellor Renee Wachter welcomed the audience Thursday morning. “I do believe that our university, and actually all of our universities, have a tremendous responsibility and role to be that spark, that catalyst, that enabler for our campus community and for our region,” Wachter said.
Sam Rikkers, Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, gave the keynote address to the attendees. Rikkers discussed the federal and industry investments ramping up in Wisconsin and the role that innovators, like those in attendance at SPARK, play in regional economic development. He lauded the effort of the Wisconsin Forward Agriculture coalition, led by WiSys, in preparing for the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines program.
Referring to this initiative, Rikkers added, “There’s innovation and then there’s INNOVATION... When I think of what innovation in all caps is, I think of folks that are set to tackle some of our biggest problems, whether that's declining biodiversity, climate change, labor inequity or unsustainable resource use – those are the challenges that the [Forward Agriculture Engine] is looking to tackle,” said Rikkers. View the Chancellor’s remarks and keynote here.
Every year WiSys recognizes innovators and champions of innovation from UW campuses and local communities at SPARK.
The Carl E. Gulbrandsen Innovator of the Year award is bestowed on Universities of Wisconsin faculty, staff, students, or community members who make exemplary contributions as a WiSys innovator. The award is named for the former managing director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) who supported WiSys throughout his tenure.
Dr. Grace Lewis, assistant professor at UW-River Falls, accepted the award on behalf of herself and her team, which consisted of Yihong Deng, Anna Euerle, Ashley Gruman, Rafael Larosiliere, and Katherine Petersen.
“I cannot fully express how much this means,” said Dr. Lewis. “I hope my research will continue to have significant impact on the dairy industry. I am so excited to see how this group of students progresses through their careers. They’re going to do amazing, amazing things.”
Jayden Trocke, a recent graduate of UW-Platteville, also received the Innovator of the Year Award but was unable to attend the event. Dr. Mark Levenstein, an associate professor from UW-Platteville, accepted the award on his behalf.
WiSys also recognizes Innovation Champions, Universities of Wisconsin leaders, faculty, staff, students, or community partners who have played an integral role in building a culture of innovation at a UW regional institution. This year's Innovation Champions are:
- Keith Baxter, Boyle Fredrickson
- Jim Caesar, The Development Association
- Michael Carney, UW-Eau Claire
- Kathryn Guimond, UW-Superior
- Bicentennial Innovation Challenge (BIC) Group
Other highlights of the event included:
The symposium kicked off on Wednesday, July 24, with a held at the Superior Entrepreneurship Center – site of WiSys VentureHome-Superior – where WiSys President Arjun Sanga presented the Innovation Champion awards to this year’s awardees
Faculty research talks:
- Grace Lewis, UW-River Falls
- Sayeda Farzana Aktar, UW-Green Bay
- Pranabendu Mitra, UW-Stout
- Namyun Kil, UW-La Crosse
- Sakib Mahmud, UW-Superior
- Seth King, UW-La Crosse
- Casey Pablicki, UW-River Falls
- David Higgs, UW-Parkside
- Ozgur Yavuzcetin, UW-Whitewater
- Mohammed Rabbani, UW-Platteville
The Student Poster & Innovation Showcase:
Featuring nearly 60 research posters and innovations from undergraduate and graduate students from different disciplines. The winners of the poster competition were:
- First place: Hannah Steinmetz, UW River Falls
- Second place: Anne Carmichael, UW-Eau Claire
- Third place: Klay Liu, UW-Madison
In addition to posters, students could show demos or prototypes of their innovations in the Innovation Showcase. Winners of the innovation showcase were Carl Lundgren and Matthew Humphrey from UW-Eau Claire.
Panel discussion on the Forward Agriculture Initiative:
A panel of some of the key partners working on Forward Agriculture, Mary Blanchard, Bradley Bolling, Doris Mold, and Adhira Sunkara, discussed the current state of the initiative and the potential impact an NSF Engine award could have on Wisconsin – including bringing in up to $160 million in federal funding for making Wisconsin a world leader in sustainable and resilient agriculture.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers Address:
Governor Evers addressed the audience, complimenting the research and innovation on display at this year’s symposium.
“Wisconsin has always been a state where our ideas, innovations, and inventions drive our country and our world forward,” said Evers. “Whether it’s advancements in agriculture, health care, science & technology, or manufacturing, Wisconsin is leading the way.”
Governor Evers also announced a commitment of $15 million for the Forward Agriculture Initiative in his next biennial budget to help compete for the $160 million NSF Engine Award.
“This effort to collaborate with a diverse group of partners, modernize Wisconsin’s $105 billion agricultural industry, and further strengthen our position as global leaders in sustainable agriculture is a perfect example of the Wisconsin Idea in action,” added Evers.
Students from eight UW campuses competed in the WiSys Quick Pitch state final, where they had three minutes to impress a panel of judges with their ability to explain the value of their research to society. WiSys Quick Pitch is a research-focused student pitch competition that inspires students to consider the impact of their research and learn how to effectively communicate it to a general audience. The winners of the statewide competition are:
- First place: Max Konop, UW-Platteville
- Second place: Addy Farber and Emma Jiter, UW-Eau Claire
- Third place: Usman Ahmad, UW-Superior
Pictures from the WiSys SPARK Symposium can be viewed here. Videos from sessions can be found on our YouTube channel.