The University of West Florida’s Haas Center has received a three‑year, $400,000 award from the National Science Foundation to create an Office of Industrial Innovation aimed at speeding collaboration between university researchers and regional employers.
The funding comes through NSF’s Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity program, known as EPIIC. The initiative is designed to help universities strengthen their ability to partner with private industry, government and other institutions in ways that advance research and support regional economic development. UWF officials say the new office will act as a “front door” for companies seeking access to faculty expertise, laboratories and student talent.
Housed within the Haas Center, the Office of Industrial Innovation will identify subject‑matter experts on campus, match them with companies that need research and development support, and streamline the contracting process so projects move at the “speed of business.” The grant also supports funded, hands‑on research opportunities for students tied to real‑world projects.
“With this seed funding, we aim to establish mechanisms that enable our researchers to pursue public‑ and private‑sector opportunities at the speed of business, unbound by the constraints of the academic calendar,” Haas Center Executive Director Nicole Gislason said in a press release.
The award is part of a broader project called Advancing Regional Innovation through Sustainable Engagement, or ARISE, which brings together five institutions: UWF, Frostburg State University, Northern Virginia Community College, the University of Texas Permian Basin and the University of Wisconsin–Parkside. The shared goal is to build durable systems for applied research partnerships and to position each campus as a stronger contributor to its local innovation ecosystem.
UWF leaders say the effort responds to the practical challenges that often slow university‑industry work, from finding the right expertise to negotiating agreements on timelines and deliverables.
“The technical knowledge and skills of UWF faculty researchers is world‑class, reflecting their extensive academic and professional preparation,” said Matthew Schwartz, professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and co‑principal investigator. “The goal of NSF EPIIC and the UWF Office of Industrial Innovation is to make sure that UWF can easily establish contractual partnerships to connect regional industries, municipalities, NGOs and other groups with UWF researchers in support of regional research and development.”
Beyond smoothing the front‑end of partnerships, the project is meant to align university capabilities with areas of national and regional interest, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics, biotechnology, cybersecurity, energy‑efficiency technologies and materials science. That portfolio reflects sectors where Northwest Florida employers are competing for talent and where applied research can unlock new products and processes.
“UWF is full of talent that some in the community are not aware of,” said Dr. Mohamed Khabou, dean of the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering and co‑principal investigator. “This grant will help unveil these talents to the regional industries and kickstart new opportunities in key areas of the economy.”
The Haas Center expects the new office to provide a single point of contact for companies and civic organizations, reduce startup friction on projects and expand paid research roles for UWF students. University officials say those experiences will help students build résumés while giving employers early access to emerging talent.
Details on how partners can engage with the Office of Industrial Innovation are available through the Haas Center. University officials said the office will begin developing matching and contracting workflows as the grant period begins.
