The WiSys award recognizes Universities of Wisconsin leaders, faculty, staff, students, and community partners who have played an integral role in building a culture of innovation in communities across Wisconsin.

Carney, who has been at UW-Eau Claire since 2000, has long been a champion of innovation and collaboration and has collaborated with WiSys to bring resources and programs to his campus. He facilitated the creation of the UW-Eau Claire-Mayo Clinic-WiSys Biomedical Innovation Grant, which just graduated its first cohort of students. He was a member of the NSF Engine Development core implementation group, which helped WiSys and its partners build partnerships across the state to advance sustainable agriculture in Wisconsin. Carney has also worked to bring WiSys Innovation On-Ramp to UWEC and helped the popular WiSys Quick Pitch event go national during the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR), both during 2023.

“I am honored to receive this recognition from WiSys,” Carney said. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with the WiSys staff for over a decade, starting with research grants. All of our initiatives are bearing fruit because of our strong collaborations with WiSys.”

Carney’s knowledge and efforts have helped UW-Eau Claire receive large grants from both state and federal agencies. In the fall of 2023, the school received a $400,000 grant from the NSF through its Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC) program. The grant’s partnership with the College of New Jersey is showcasing how universities across the country can collaborate and foster innovation. In December 2021, it received a $9.4 million Workforce Innovation Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The focus of that grant is on rural health and well-being and will focus on northwestern Wisconsin.

“Dr. Carney first engaged with WiSys as an inventor but quickly progressed beyond that as a collaborator and champion of WiSys programs and events,” said WiSys President Arjun Sanga. “He has been a leader and a critical driver of several important innovation initiatives benefiting UW-Eau Claire and the surrounding area.”

Michael Carney received his Innovation Champion award during the WiSys SPARK Symposium, held on the UW-Superior campus in July. View pictures from the event here.