1338775 Iowa State University; Byrony Bonning 13387667 University of Kentucky; Subba Palli
The proposed Center for Arthropod Management Technologies (CAMTech) will streamline and link the efforts of industry and academia toward effective management of arthropod and nematode pests through a formalized and extended research partnership. The research efforts will be anchored by Iowa State University (ISU) as the lead institution, partnered with the University of Kentucky (UKY).
The proposed Center comprised of Iowa State University and the University of Kentucky will serve as an incubator for novel technologies. CAMTech will provide the basic research foundation necessary for the applied research goals of industry and will extend the utility of current arthropod management practices. The goals of CAMTech will be to (i) conduct pre-competitive research and transfer knowledge to industrial partners for in house development, (ii) optimize and extend the versatility of current technologies, and (iii) train undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdoctoral scholars for potential future employment within industry. An interdisciplinary team has been assembled with UKY researchers extending and complementing the skills and expertise of ISU researchers.
Establishment of this Center will enable a cohesive industry-university alliance that will allow industry to communicate their needs to academia toward a common goal, and to facilitate collaboration amongst companies. The diverse team of researchers will provide knowledge of fundamental systems relevant to arthropod management, allowing Center members to derive value from fundamental research and to expand the utility of current approaches. Students and postdoctoral researchers within the proposed Center will receive outstanding professional development training at both ISU and UKY. The commitment of ISU and UK to develop the academic potential of underrepresented groups in STEM fields will be further enhanced by informal mentorships, internships and career options with CAMTech industrial partners.