AURP BLOG

1:30pm – 2:00pm   |   Competing in a Changed World: Powering the Next Era of Innovation Net…

• Thomas Osha, Executive Vice President, Wexford Science and Technology

8:00am – 8:45am   | At the Crossroads: Innovation, Investment, and the Future of State Economies

As state priorities evolve and budgets become more focused, innovation communities must sharpen how they communicate their value and impact. This interactive session will explore the current state and federal funding landscape, including insights on SBIR reauthorization, shifting legislative priorities, and trends affecting economic development organizations. Speakers will share both high-level perspectives and practical examples – from navigating funding changes to addressing emerging issues like AI, energy costs, hydrogen strategies, and data center growth.

• Mark Skinner, President and CEO, SSTI
• J. Michael Bowman, President and CEO, Delaware Technology Park, Inc

1:30pm – 4:30pm   |   Core Facilities and Strategic Programs to Drive Innovation and Economic Growth

Shared centralized research resources, often referred to as core facilities, enable access to expertise and sophisticated instrumentation creating opportunities to drive discovery and train the workforce. Despite the value they create, core facilities come with their own challenges especially in an environment where F&A cuts are looming. We will take a deep dive into best practices for efficient operations, strategically growing a strong user base, engaging corporate partners, and supporting defense related users with security needs. With effective execution, core facilities not only drive innovation and training, but also support business attraction and growth of regional economies.

Part 1: Fireside Chat

• Karen Dobos, Scientific Director, Colorado State University Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL)
• Moderator: Amy Adams, Executive Director, Institute for Biohealth Innovation, George Mason University

Part 2: Panel Discussion

• Tim Marlowe, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, FAKnostics; Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, University of Arizona, College of Medicine – Phoenix
• Jeff Smith, Director, Research Parks, Michigan State University Research Foundation
• Claudia Whitehead, Lead, Bioscience Healthcare, City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development
• Russ Zarras, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Fraunhofer USA, Inc.
• Moderator: Matt Ballard, CEO/Executive Director, West Virginia Regional Technology Park Corporation

8:00am – 11:45am   |   Next-Gen Financing Approaches for Research and Innovation

This module explores the changing models for financing and building research infrastructure as changes in facilities and administrative (F&A) rates, shifting federal funding priorities, and evolving industry engagement strategies are driving new approaches to financing and sustaining research spaces.  This session will explore how universities and companies are working together to co-invest in facilities, leverage public-private partnerships, and navigate policy changes to support cutting-edge research as well as approaches to financing that will enable research and innovation growth across a wide range of institutions. The session is organized around four core topics: financing fundamentals, emerging strategies by institutions, evolving overhead recovery models, and state-level funding approaches that support research parks and innovation ecosystems. Participants will gain insights in fundamental financing principles using a combination of qualitative and quantitative frameworks, risk-sharing strategies, and best practices for aligning infrastructure development with long-term research and workforce needs and examine how various investments can support sustainable research and innovation within their communities.

• Kelvin Droegemeier, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Science and Policy, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Rahul Saxena, Director, CREATE-X; Associate Director, LAUNCH
• Larry Peterson, Executive Director, Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities
• Moderator: Kevin Byrne, President and CEO, The University Financing Foundation

3:30pm – 5:30pm   |   Tour of Novus Innovation Corridor

The group will depart the Tempe Mission Palms lobby at 3:30 to walk to the Global Futures Laboratory.
Prepare to get your steps in today! Estimated roundtrip walk…2.5 miles.

Plan to wear comfortable walking shoes for this 1.1-mile jaunt from the Tempe Mission Palms to the Global Futures Lab before experiencing a section of this Innovation Corridor. Our afternoon will conclude with a group dinner at Eureka!, followed by a return walk back to the hotel.

NOVUS INNOVATION CORRIDOR, one of ASU’s eight Innovation Zones, is a public/private partnership between Arizona State University and Catellus Development. Strategically integrated with ASU’s Tempe campus along Tempe Town Lake, the mixed-use development is home to Fortune 100 corporations, new technologies, medical research companies, start-ups, maker businesses and more, plus empowers access to world-class research and a highly educated and skilled workforce.

• 355          ACRES of commerce, urban living and recreation
• 34K         NEW JOBS within Novus upon completion
• 4K           RESIDENTS upon completion
• 25MM     POPULATION within 10-mile radius by 2023
• 940K       EMPLOYEES within 10‑mile commute by 2023

12:30pm – 3:15pm   |   Public-Private Partnerships (P3s): Catalyzing Research Parks and Innovation Districts

Billions of dollars across the US have been invested in Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) to develop student housing at our universities. But how can this funding and delivery mechanism be deployed to finance and build research parks and innovation districts? And exactly what is a P3 as opposed to just contracting to build a facility?

As universities, cities and regions face challenges in finding ways to launch or expand innovation districts and research park facilities, learn how P3s are overcoming resource constraints. This module focuses on partner selection and advancements in procurement, design, financing, and operating and maintenance (O&M).

• Neil Calfee, Executive Director, Economic Development and Innovation Zones, Arizona State University
• Sarah Horta, MCFE, M.P.S., Director of Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO)
• Kevin Byrne, President and CEO, The University Financing Foundation
• Brian Naumick, Partner, Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate
• Merry Hunter Caudle, Director, Economic Development, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Sandra McQuain, Vice President of Infrastructure, Access Intelligence
• Moderator: Brian Darmody, Chief Strategy Officer, AURP

9:00am – 11:30am   |   Pivots Over Time: When Plans Do Not Meet Market Reality

This two-part module will examine several new models for research parks seeding support and execution.

Part 1: New Models for Research Parks

Participants will gain insight into the role of philanthropy and community impact in research parks, with practical strategies for enhancing funding models and deepening community engagement.

• Matthew Crommett, Managing Director, LH Capital, Inc. and Lyda Hill Properties
• Jeff Seymour, President and CEO, Oklahoma City Innovation District
• Moderator: David Snow, Executive Director, Pegasus Park

Part 2: Identifying the Gap and the Risk

The next part to this session will explore how some universities are partnering exclusively with third-party developers to deliver mixed-use districts, shifting development responsibility and capital risk while giving up certain levels of control common to innovation districts. With projects at various stages of development and redevelopment, the discussion offers an opportunity to compare approaches and share lessons learned among university leaders and development partners.

• Rebecca Ivins, Research Parks Director, University of Virginia Foundation
• Misty Parsons, Marketing & Relationship Manager, University of Virginia Foundation
• Chris Whittier, Senior Director, Tishman Speyer
• Moderator: Mary Morris, Director Baltimore Fund, University of Maryland Baltimore

2:00pm – 5:00pm   |   Emerging Technologies Supporting the “Software” of Innovation Ecosystems

• Brenda Barry, Director of Corporate Relations, University of Arizona
• Tom Kissane, Enterprise Customer Support Manager, Halo
• J. Mark Nolan, Associate Vice President, Corporate Engagement, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Cody Pawlowski, Co-Founder and CTO, FirstIgnite
• Justin Rerko, Growth Strategist, Tradespace
• Mala Sahai, Senior Director, Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs, Gladstone Institutes
• Alancia Wicks, Director, Office Of Tech Transfer and Innovation, Tennessee State University
• Moderator: Jordan Peterson, Chief Operations Officer, Collaborative Real Estate

1:00pm – 1:30pm   |   Opening Remarks

• Allison Madden, Chief Operating Officer & Corporate Secretary, University of South Florida Research Foundation; AURP President
• Harold Strong, 2026 Spring Training Chair, CEO, InnovTX