UH receives $2.4M to improve energy, marine technologies
Summary
A $2.4-million grant from the Office of Naval Research will enable the University of Hawaii to develop and advance energy, marine and other blue economy (conserving marine and freshwater environments) technologies and opportunities in Hawaii.The funding will help provide cross-disciplinary learning opportunities and give students a chance to participate in hands-on projects and entrepreneurial training. Through these targeted initiatives, we will be able to collaboratively identify, develop and translate our world-class research into impact-driven ventures to help diversify and stimulate our states economy.Through this grant, will launch three new programs this yearHacking4X, Patents2Products and Faculty Fellowswhich will be run by the Office of Innovation and Commercialization ( ): Hacking4X ( ) is a semester-long, sprint-like design program launching in January 2023 that will teach students to work through one iteration of the product design process. Available to candidates and postdoctoral researchers, Patents2Products fellows will translate innovative ideas into marketable solutions by building the necessary skills to progress proof-of-concept prototypes in the lab to minimum viable products toward commercialization. Applications will open in spring 2023. is currently seeking program partners, including -affiliated technology companies or faculty research labs with intellectual property, who would value support from Patents2Products fellows. Piloting in summer 2023, participating faculty will undergo training in Lean Startup methodologies and integrate techniques directly into their courses at the end of the program.We developed these highly immersive and experiential training programs to facilitate the transformation of ideas to impact, said Technology Licensing Officer and Innovation Programs Associate Director Rebecca Chung, one of the grants principal investigators.