The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities has named the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as one of six finalists for its annual Innovation and Economic Prosperity Awards.
“As a modern land-grant university, the University of Tennessee is proud to be recognized as a finalist for the APLU IEP Awards,” said Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development Marc Gibson. “This honor reflects our deep commitment to advancing prosperity through talent, place and innovation. From growing the Spark Innovation Center and launching our new Office of Entrepreneurship and New Ventures to expanding the Research Park at Cherokee Farm and empowering faculty and students engaged in community-based research, we are building a statewide innovation ecosystem that strengthens Tennessee’s economy and creates opportunity for all. Being recognized among the nation’s leaders affirms that UT is fulfilling its mission to make life and lives better across our state and beyond.”
Award recipients will be announced during the association’s annual meeting in November. The other finalists are the University of California, Los Angeles; Clemson University; the University of Georgia; the University of Maryland and West Virginia University. They are competing for the following awards that honor exemplary and innovative case studies of economic engagement impact:
- The IEP Talent Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives in education and workforce development
- The IEP Place Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives resulting in social, cultural or community development
- The IEP Innovation Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives spurring innovation, entrepreneurship and technology-based economic development
- The IEP Economic Engagement Connections Award — the competition’s top prize — recognizing overall excellence across all three other award categories
“Congratulations to our 2025 IEP Award finalists,” said APLU President Waded Cruzado. “Public research universities are major drivers of economic development in communities, states and regions. We’re excited to recognize the excellent work of our IEP Award finalists in meeting workforce needs, advancing community and economic development, and fueling path-breaking innovation.”
Advancing technology, community solutions and regional growth
APLU recognized UT for promoting innovation and regional development and addressing challenges facing the state. UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm combines the university’s resources with partnerships involving Oak Ridge National Laboratory and other institutions to advance research and economic impact. The park hosts 15 industry partners and 800 employees adjacent to the main university campus.
The research park also houses the Spark Innovation Center, which supports, attracts and retains some of the nation’s most promising technology startups by providing access to top-quality lab space, mentoring, prototyping resources and sources of early-stage capital. The center has served 50 companies that have collectively created 196 jobs and raised $138 million. Of the startups served by the center, 77% continue to have an active presence in East Tennessee.
UT has rallied researchers to address community challenges. Faculty and students from a variety of disciplines worked together to design and build a bridge equipped with fiber-reinforced polymer and fiber-optic sensors to monitor stresses. An engineering team created InnoCrate to introduce fibers and composites to K-12 students, and faculty and students from seven UT colleges have contributed to the 1.2-million-acre Tennessee RiverLine system.
Commitment to innovation and economic prosperity
To be eligible for an Innovation and Economic Prosperity award, an institution must first earn the IEP designation from APLU, which recognizes a commitment to regional economic development. To earn the designation, universities conduct a rigorous self-study of their economic engagement activities, with input from external stakeholders and identification of areas for growth and improvement. This work demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning and improvement in this kind of engagement, which is vital to universities and their regional partners.
Ninety institutions have been named IEP designees since the program was launched in 2012.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Johnson (865-974-4448, jjohn522@utk.edu)