Innovations at Research Park

Trevor is the Site Director for the Brunswick Corporation’s Innovation center located in the Research Park, and Meghan is a Software Engineering Intern. Brunswick is an industry leader in the marine space and they manufacture recreational boats, marine engines, and other products.  The Brunswick I-Jet Lab at the University of Illinois Research Park works on prototypes to modernize and improve...

Dr. Deana McDonagh is a Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Illinois as well as the Designer-in-Residence at the Research Park. Dr. McDonagh is an experienced strategist who works with startups at the Research Park to help them incorporate design thinking in their development workflow in order to improve user experience and create delightful products for consumers.  Tune in to...

Paul is the Co-Founder & CEO of Ascent Integrated Tech, a startup company in the Research Park that is building technology to improve safety for people in hazardous environments including firefighters, industrial operators, and aviation mechanics.  Paul is a seasoned entrepreneur and well-known in the student startup ecosystem on campus, having previously co-founded a technology company f...

Dr. Aadeel Akhtar is Founder and CEO of PSYONIC, a prosthetics company on a mission to “redefine what it means to be human through advances in biointegrated technologies”. He joins the podcast to shed light on his exhilarating entrepreneurial journey, from winning startup competitions to partnering with U.S. Army sergeants to being selected as an MIT Top 35 Under 35 Innovator. He also dives into w...

Dr. Gerald Wilson is President and CEO of Autonomic Materials, a homegrown U of I startup, and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Research Park. He joins the show to share lessons learned on his fascinating startup journey as well as provide insight into how he helps budding entrepreneurs as an EIR. Head over to project-20.co/researchparkpodcast to leave show feedback. Visit researchpark.illinois...

John Cole, Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer of Research Park startup SimBioSys, joins the podcast! He discusses the breakthroughs his team has created for "transforming decision making and patient experience in cancer care” through a powerful software platform. Tune in to hear more about his entrepreneurial journey, success stories & lessons learned, and partnership with the Research...

Srijith Srinath joins the podcast to share his insights on being a Research Park intern turned full-time employee at Motorola Solutions Innovation Center. Tune in to hear what kind of experiences he had as an internship applicant, what tips he offers for having a successful summer, and what takeaways he provides for anyone unsure about pursuing the internship experience. Head over to project-20.co...

Laura Frerichs joins the show to discuss how the UIUC Research Park has built its brand over 20 years, highlight what impact it has made in the Champaign community, and showcase a few of the many stories of homegrown entrepreneurship & student talent. Laura is the Executive Director of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Research Park, "where she oversees operations & developmen...

Mark Moran joins the show to discuss AgTech innovations at John Deere, fueled by student projects at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Research Park. Mark is the Site Director for the John Deere Technology Innovation Center at Research Park, as well as the Lead for John Deere’s next-generation sensing technology for their IoT devices. Head over to project-20.co/researchparkpodcast to...