Points of Pride
- WVU is ranked as a Research University (High Research Activity) by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
- In 2011, WVU was ranked in the top 20 Best Places to Work in Academia by The Scientist — one of only two land-grant institutions on the list.
- The FBI named WVU its national leader for biometrics research. The partnership identifies WVU as the academic arm of the FBI’s Biometric Center of Excellence.
- From 2007-11, 120 patent applications were filed at WVU, and 23 issued.
- The WVU Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines, and Emissions provides research and development needed to improve transportation and power system efficiency. It developed the world’s first mobile onboard emission testing system.
- WVU received a $3.2 million ADVANCE grant from the NSF to increase the number of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
- WVU launched the Center for Free Enterprise to study the economic, political and social factors that increase prosperity.
- WVU’s Center for Industrial Research Applications (CIRA) develops engineering solutions for industrial problems — from large aircraft pallet sensor systems to helicopter airframes to analysis techniques for microbial contamination. CIRA helped establish 11 private companies and transferred 12 WVU technologies to new/existing companies.
- WVU’s Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center was awarded $19.6 million from the National Institutes of Health to address health issues that affect West Virginians.
- The WVU-led West Virginia Collegiate Business Plan Competition helps make business ideas come to life. It provides the education, skills, contacts and motivation necessary to create a viable startup company in West Virginia.
Partnerships and Consortiums
The Ohio State University and WVU signed a memorandum of understanding creating a shale energy partnership. The schools will address issues related to shale development, as well as possible impacts on the environment, local communities and public health.WVU is part of a consortium of universities and major industrial firms that received $465 million to provide services to the National Energy Technology Laboratory. The consortium also includes Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech.
WVU is a key member of the Resilient Communities Research Consortium, which conducts research and develops tools to improve the resilience of American communities in relation to disaster preparedness.
WVU was the founding site of CITeR, the only NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center focusing on biometric identification and credibility assessment technology.
WVU’s College of Business and Economics entered into a partnership with Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, paving the way to establish a Confucius Institute at WVU. A Confucius Institute provides instruction in Chinese language and culture, economic and business development, and international trade.
Industries of the Future-West Virginia grew out of a collaboration between WVU, the West Virginia Development Office, and the U.S. Department of Energy. It was the nation’s first state-level program to help manufacturers create financial savings through energy efficiency.
A U.S.-China coal research consortium led by WVU was awarded $12.5 million for research on clean coal and carbon capture and storage.
Areas of Research Strength
Agriculture: WVU is part of the Northeast Woody/Warm-season Biomass Consortium. The project promotes the use of marginal farmland and abandoned and reclaimed mine sites and is supported by an early $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.Energy: Natural gas, wind, solar and biofuels are taking their places in the energy portfolio alongside sources such as coal and shale gas, and industry is looking for graduates who see the big picture. WVU is developing a range of initiatives called EQuad, which synthesizes offerings in energy, the environment, entrepreneurship and economics.
Healthcare: The West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute is a catalyst for clinical and translational research that targets cancer, cardiovascular-stroke, and obesity related diseases, and includes research partnerships with the University of Kentucky, Ohio State University, and Indiana University.
Radio Astronomy: In 2013, Nature published an article by WVU researchers about their discovery of a cluster of gas clouds between the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies, neighbors of the Milky Way.
Space: The WVU-NASA Robotics Center at the West Virginia High Tech Consortium Park provides collaborative scientific and engineering research. WVU also is the lead institution of the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium, a NASA-sponsored organization consisting of 12 West Virginia academic institutions and eight corporate and scientific partners.
Resources
The Linking Innovation, Industry and Commercialization Program (LIINC) is designed to accelerate the commercialization of research results and create new and improve traditional ties to industry and regional entrepreneurial universities.A commitment to turning research into products is reflected in the growth and effectiveness of the WVU Office of Technology Transfer, which works on patents, manages intellectual property and advises research faculty.
The WVU Business Incubator provides the environment, resources, and entrepreneurial spirit necessary to help small startup businesses. Incubator businesses have guidance in accounting, advertising, graphic design,information technology, finance, corporate services, marketing and Web design.
A student intellectual property patent services pilot project supports the patent applications of WVU students.
The LaunchLab is a startup resource center open to all students, faculty and recent graduates. It helps entrepreneurs develop a business plan, conduct market research and use WVU’s technical development expertise.