Description :  This funding supports the enhancement of the University’s Innovative Product Design (IPD) course through the purchase of hi-tech equipment and supplies and incorporation of community technology issues and mentors into the course. The IPD course performs a crucial function in the overall technology entrepreneurship effort at the University. With a strong technical and business focus, the IPD course serves as a magnet for attracting students from all across the campus into the University’s technology entrepreneurship initiative. This course teaches “the art of innovation” based on a book of that title by Tom Kelly of the product design firm, IDEO, Inc. The IPD course provides interdisciplinary experiential learning about new product development. In this course, the marketability of new product ideas is constantly evaluated. Results of the NCIAA grant include the addition of E-Teams who are more engaged with community technology issues, the improvement in the efficiency of the production process for prototypes, and improvement in the commercial viability of end products.

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Principal Investigator:  Pratt, Jon  --  CEnIT

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Collaborators:  

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Funding Agencies:  Lemuelson Foundation

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Amount Awarded:  $28,500

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Start Period:  05/01/2003

End Period:  05/31/2006