Technology Innovation

New England Security Day 2024

Posted on by

On March 15th, the Innovation Partnership Building hosted New England Security Day 2024 (NESD), featuring cutting-edge cybersecurity research by experts from academic and professional backgrounds. Participants included industry professionals and academic institutions such as Boston University, Brown, Harvard, UMass, MIT, Northeastern, WPI, and Yale. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the latest advancements in technology and network for potential collaboration and employment prospects. The conference welcomed a diverse audience of professionals, academics, and graduate and undergraduate students interested in cybersecurity, regardless of their familiarity with advanced concepts like fuzzers, machine learning methods for intrusion detection, or efficient post-quantum cryptography.

Visit the NESD 2024 web page for additional information and to view the NESD 2024 video, complete event program and additional photos.

Ripple Effect: Reverse Osmosis Technology – Implications for Reshaping the Clean Water Landscape

Posted on by

Amidst the global freshwater crisis, desalination emerges as crucial for meeting the escalating demand for potable and industrial water. Particularly in water-scarce regions, reliance on desalinated water for drinking, cooking and washing continues to grow.

However, reverse osmosis (RO) technologies that are widely employed by the desalination industry are costly and energy-intensive due to inherent characteristics of the RO membranes currently used in the desalination process. To address these challenges, research efforts are currently underway to develop advanced, more durable RO membranes capable of improving energy-efficiency and reducing cost while withstanding the rigors of the desalination process.

Grad student loading sample into x-ray tomography machine at IPBIn the recent publication “Characterization of Reverse Osmosis Membranes Under Compaction Utilizing 3D X-ray and 3D FIB Correlative Microscopy”, UConn PhD Graduate Assistant Yara Suleiman and coauthors expand upon their prior research that introduced a novel process for evaluating the performance of RO membranes in water treatment facilities. The innovative approach, utilizing state-of-the-art 3D X-ray and 3D FIB correlative microscopy, offers promising prospects for shaping advancement in membrane technologies that can drive more efficient, less costly desalination, with broader implications for sustainable solutions to the global freshwater crisis.

Suleiman is a PhD Graduate Assistant at the Reverse Engineering, Fabrication, Inspection and Non-Destructive Analysis (REFINE) lab at the IPB | UConn Tech Park. The article is coauthored with REFINE Center Director Sina Shahbazmohamadi and UCLA’s Professor Eric Hoek and postdoctoral research fellow Jishan Wu.

Citation: Yara Suleiman, Jishan Wu, Eric M V Hoek, Sina Shahbazmohamadi, Characterization of Reverse Osmosis Membranes Under Compaction Utilizing 3D X-ray and 3D FIB Correlative Microscopy, Microscopy and Microanalysis, Volume 29, Issue Supplement_1, 1 August 2023, Pages 144-145, https://doi.org/10.1093/micmic/ozad067.065

Celebrating Microscopy

Posted on by

wasp preserved in amber

In February, the Innovation Partnership Building at UConn Tech Park unveiled a captivating temporary art exhibit, an extraordinary collection of microscopy images capturing insects preserved in amber, frozen in time. These remarkable images were meticulously captured and curated by talented scientist and artist, Guy Iannuzzi.

Guests are invited to explore this unique celebration of art and science on the third floor at the Innovation Partnership Building, 159 Discovery Drive, Storrs, CT. On display through summer 2024.

For questions contact Melanie Noble, melanie.noble@uconn.edu.

Registration Open for New England Security Day

Posted on by

UConn will host the New England Security Day on March 15, 2024 at the Innovation Partnership Building | UConn Tech Park. This event showcases cutting-edge research in all areas of cybersecurity from academics and professionals. The audience is a mix of students (undergraduate and graduate) and working researchers. It represents an opportunity to learn about state-of-the-art and recruit phenomenal students from universities across New England. The program committee creating the schedule has participants from Boston University, Brown, UConn, Harvard, UMass, MIT, Northeastern, WPI, and Yale. We encourage attendance and participation from industry. Talks will be accessible to a general audience in cybersecurity so don’t worry if you’re behind on the latest fuzzer, ML methods for intrusion detection, or efficient post-quantum cryptography.

Please register here. If you would like to be more involved please contact Jessica Guilbeault jessica.guilbeault@uconn.edu and Benjamin Fuller Benjamin.fuller@uconn.edu.

CBIA BizCast: UConn Tech Park Drives Innovation » CBIA

Posted on by

“This isn’t just a good resource. It’s an unbelievable resource,” says Mike DiDonato, business development manager at UConn Tech Park – Innovation Partnership Building. DiDonato joined the CBIA BizCast recently to talk about how UConn Tech Park is helping businesses in Connecticut.

2nd Industrial Workshop on Separations Technology at UConn Tech Park

Posted on by

The Connecticut Center for Advanced Separations Technology (CCAST) hosted its 2nd Industrial Workshop on Separations Technology at UConn Tech Park on October 5-6th.

CCAST Center Director Jeff McCutcheon was thrilled with the success of this year’s event and explains that his vision is “for the workshop to become a premier event on industrially relevant separations that features talks from prominent speakers from industry.” The 1 ½ day event drew over 110 registrants from more than 60 companies and featured 16 speakers, 19 panelists, and over 20 poster presenters focused on separations technology innovation, financing, startups, and technology needs across different industries.

The dynamic workshop was well attended by a range of separations technologies stakeholders, including end users, established providers, start-ups, public/private funding entities, researchers, and experienced industry experts, providing an excellent networking opportunity for guests.

Speakers and panelists discussed the importance and value propositions for new separations technologies, with a range of topics including challenges that require new separations technologies, business opportunities for new separations technologies, how separation technologies impact industry and businesses, innovations in separation technologies, and perspectives and trends on the separations field that may guide future R&D efforts.

McCutcheon expressed his thanks to all who helped make the event happen. “This year’s workshop would not have been possible without help from my co-organizer Dr. Shan Yong,” he says. “It really does take a village to run a workshop, and I’m grateful to UConn, CCAST and C2E2 staff, faculty, and students for lending so much support for this event. I greatly appreciate all the panelists, speakers, and company representatives who shared their research and insights at this far-reaching workshop. Special thanks goes to all our sponsors for helping make this a free event for all who attended!”

The 2023 workshop company sponsors are Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Mott Corporation, and the Athletic Brewing Co. Planning is already underway for the 3rd Industrial Workshop on Separations Technology at UConn Tech Park! Click here to share your agenda suggestions and join the mailing list for the 2024 workshop, or email jeffrey.mccutcheon@uconn.edu

Connecticut Center for Applied Separations Technologies serves the State of Connecticut, greater New England, and the U.S. by identifying opportunities to implement membrane and other advanced separation technology into various industrial and manufacturing processes in order to lower energy use, reduce carbon footprint, limit waste, and prevent adverse environmental and health impacts.