Category: Catalyst
Growing Innovation and Jobs through RIS
ISTC’s role in growing the RIS Program, its impact on Illinois, and how you can get involved. For the better part of a decade, ISTC has worked with its federal partners at SSTI to grow the EDA’s Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) Program. As a result of this work, the RIS program has grown dramatically […]
Innovation Policy Update: Recapping a Busy Session in Springfield
By Matthew Bragg, Director of Data & Policy, ISTC Earlier this month, the end of a busy session in Springfield saw new legislation with far-reaching implications for Illinois’ innovation economy, including a $40 billion budget and $45 billion capital bill. Thanks to the hard work of many in the community—including iBIO, the Illinois Chamber of […]
The Powerful Impact of Real-World, Problem-Based Learning
By Alex Larson, Applied Technology Teacher, Township High School 211 Problem Based Learning (PBL) is an approach that’s often discussed in STEM education, with curriculum typically based around teacher-developed problems meant to engage students on multiple levels. While this can be effective, nothing compares to the learning and engagement created by real-world problem-based learning. For […]
Catalyst Conversations: MxD’s Next Five Years
Q&A WITH CHANDRA BROWN Executive Director at MxD In late September 2018, DMDII got a new Executive Director, Chandra Brown. Less than six months later. DMDII announced $10 million in new funding and a five-year contract with the U.S. Department of Defense worth up to $60 million. This was followed by the news that UI Labs […]
ISTI’s Inaugural Student Research Showcase: Giving Students a Platform to Excel
The Illinois Science and Technology Institute (ISTI) hosted its inaugural Student Research Showcase on Friday, March 22nd at MxD, the Design and Manufacturing Institute, as a celebration of inquiry and student-mentor collaboration. The Showcase highlighted a selection of the vast student research that has been taking place throughout the 2018-19 academic year over the Mentor […]
Catalyst Conversations: mHUB’s Rapid Growth and What’s Next
Q&A WITH HAVEN ALLEN CEO and Co-founder at mHUB This month marks two years since Chicago makerspace mHUB opened its doors. Since then, mHUB’s community of entrepreneurs, manufacturing mentors, industry experts and investors has grown exponentially. In just two years, mHUB has grown to more than 240 member companies—while helping those companies raise more than […]
Beyond the Index: University of Illinois City Scholars Highlights Chicago to Tech Grads
Q&A WITH SMIT PATEL University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign senior in computer engineering and City Scholars participant Despite the common narrative that most of the state’s top tech talent leaves Illinois, ISTC analysis through the Illinois Innovation Index shows the Illinois’ recent computer science graduates are 4.5 times more likely to work in Chicago than […]
