The four-story, 114,000-square-foot building, sitting just behind the complex on Eastern Parkway, will include classrooms, a makerspace, high-tech lab facilities and room for events and student engagement. The $90 million project is supported by $65 million in state funding and $3 million in private donations, with a fundraising campaign on-going to secure the balance.

“UofL has long led the charge in driving innovation, economic growth and providing students with the education and experience they need to succeed in the real world,” said President Kim Schatzel. “With this new state-of-the-art building, we accelerate those efforts, creating bold new opportunities for our students, researchers and the Commonwealth.”Ěý

The additional space will support UofL efforts to fill Kentucky’s talent pipeline with STEM graduates who are prepared to harness disruptive technologies across a range of industries, including cybersecurity, electric vehicles, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and many more. While the Kentucky’s production of these critical workers has grown, it still lags behind neighboring states and the national average.Ěý

“Extending Kentucky’s record-breaking economic momentum depends on our ability to innovate and strengthen our workforce,” Gov. Andy Beshear said. “This new investment and partnership with UofL shows our commitment to being a destination for talented people and businesses looking to succeed in the key industries of the future.”

The building will also house a number of cutting-edge research labs aimed at providing hands-on learning opportunities, developing new technologies and collaborating with industry. That includes , whose work drives discovery, advancements and new products in solar, biofuels and energy storage, efficiency and materials.

“Conn Center forges partnerships and inspires many students to address global energy challenges,” said center Director Mahendra Sunkara. “With this new space, we can accelerate the technology necessary to make Louisville a global leader in energy research, one that positively impacts the regional economy.”

Louisville is a hub for engineering and manufacturing, being with a total workforce of more than 82,500. With this new building, UofL can help maintain that positive momentum by spurring new breakthroughs and generating ready to solve problems and lead.

“Louisville is poised for enormous growth, and UofL research and graduates are a key part of our ongoing and future success,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “I’m proud to support this investment in UofL, Louisville’s top-tier research university, that will create new opportunities for people and businesses throughout our city.”

Construction is already underway and is expected to be complete in summer 2025, just in time for the Speed School’s centennial celebration. Founded in 1925, the school has since grown enrollment to more than 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees across eight engineering disciplines.Ěý

“The Speed School has a well-earned century-long reputation as a place for ideas that will transform and reimagine our world,” said Dean Emmanuel Collins. “This new building will be a game changer for student success, our cutting-edge research and more. We’re both dreamers and doers, and this new facility is a place for both.”Ěý

The facility was designed by Luckett & Farley in collaboration with SmithGroup and Whittenberg Construction is the general contractor. UofL is launching a fundraising campaign to secure remaining capital needed to complete the project. Learn more and donate atĚý.

The consortium — known as REBECCA, short for Regional Energy Business, łÉČËÖ±˛Ą, and Commercialization Convergence Accelerator — has been selected for a $500,000 Phase 1 planning grant under the U.S. Tech Hubs Program. The program, authorized by the federal CHIPS and Science Act, aims to transform high-potential regions across the country into globally competitive innovation centers.

“UofL is a top-tier, community-engaged research institution, and we’ve developed a solid track record of partnering with industry to solve important problems,” said Kim Schatzel, president of UofL. “With REBECCA, we are excited to build on UofL’s already impactful energy research and work with our industry partners to develop Kentucky’s energy strength.”

At UofL, work on REBECCA will be led by researchers Mahendra Sunkara and Sundar Atre in the . Consortium partners include the , , and , a Haier company.Ěý

Together, they will use the Phase 1 Tech Hubs funding to study the region’s energy economy and develop a plan for its continued growth, including needed technology, infrastructure and workforce. As a successful Phase 1 applicant, REBECCA also is eligible to compete for up to $75 million in Phase 2 funding to implement their plan.Ěý

“The UofL REBECCA consortium aligns with Louisville’s economic development and net-zero energy goals,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “We are very eager to see this project bring new green jobs and advance our state’s investment and leadership in renewable energy technology.”

Energy is a , with more than a third of all energy produced going toward agriculture, the production of food and beverage, manufacturing and other industry. As both the public and private sectors invest in new energy technologies — such as renewables — there’s a need for more innovation, infrastructure and .

“We’re excited to be a part of this project and what the future holds for this region and job growth in the renewable energy space,” said Kevin Nolan, president and CEO of GE Appliances, a Haier company.Ěý “This aligns with our focus on net zero energy homes, and how we can innovate products that use less energy and work with renewable energy sources and energy storage solutions.”

Beyond developing a strategy for the energy Tech Hub in Kentucky, the consortium will conduct workforce development programs and partner with UofL researchers on pilot projects related to energy production, use and efficiency. GE Appliances will work on a solar power microgrid, TARC will work to introduce extended-range battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses into the fleet, and Clariant will work on hydrogen storage and delivery.

“We at Clariant are thrilled that UofL will be leading a new Tech Hub focused on the energy transition in Kentucky through the new consortium REBECCA,” said Victor Johnston, head of Clariant’s Louisville R&D Center.Ěý“With our longstanding ties to Louisville, we have had the privilege of partnering with the university for many years on critical research in catalyst development, materials science and cultivating STEM talent. This recognition is well-deserved. We eagerly anticipate continuing our collaboration with REBECCA, which will drive innovations that shape the future of energy.”

UofL has significant expertise in working with industry to innovate in renewable energy and energy efficiency, including through the Speed School’s Conn Center — established more than a decade ago in honor of major donors Hank and Rebecca Conn, for whom REBECCA is named. Emmanuel Collins, dean of the Speed School, said partnership with industry is critical to understanding gaps and growing the state’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize and deploy these technologies.

“UofL and the Speed School have a long track-record of success and leadership in energy research and academics,” Collins said. “I’m looking forward to working with our partners to build on that success, strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem and advancing the state’s bright energy future.”

The event, the largest solar decathlon competition for international universities, featured 14 international teams and took place Oct. 20 to Nov. 21 at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Over the last 2 years, teams designed and built high energy-efficiency, grid-connected, solar-powered houses, which were set up together in a public showcase village during the World Expo.

UofL teamed up with Higher Colleges of Technology, American University of Sharjah and American University in Dubai to form “.” The team fused talents of faculty, staff and students from all four universities to design, build and compete with a state-of-the-science 1,000-square-foot house. UofL’s spearheaded this effort to promote the use of renewables, create the energy efficient house and involve over 10 faculty and 70 students in the international cooperative effort.

Each university provided expertise in engineering, architecture, water conservation and treatment, and project management during the design phase. Teams were challenged to work collaboratively to meet the competition deliverables, which included innovative engineering and architectural designs, construction management, and promotional media, websites and videos.

The students worked side by side with their professors and each other to transform designs and theories into fully functional solar-powered homes based on the competition’s seven pillars: sustainability, future, innovation, clean energy, mobility, smart solutions and happiness. GE Appliances/Haier was one of the sponsors that made it possible for the team to travel to the competition. As such, the Team Desert Phoenix house featured Haier washer and dryer units and a top-mount refrigerator.

“This project enabled broad exposure for Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research and University of Louisville in UAE and the Middle East,” said Professor , director of the Conn Center. “Through this effort, many universities in the region have a greater appreciation for the University of Louisville’s faculty and students in terms of the quality and academic leadership. We created an impactful experience while fostering future collaborations and exchanges, especially for those interested in our and Ěýprograms.”

Cole Kidwell, a sophomore electrical engineering major, said the experience of working in a multi-disciplinary, international team was a reward in itself. Kidwell was inspired by getting to work with people from around the world toward a common goal.

“The experiential learning is invaluable,” Kidwell said. “Specifically in my field, we are taught to design and analyze solar systems. By participating from design through construction, testing and operation, I understand how all the parts work together in a more tangible way. I learned firsthand about power distribution in a solar-powered home, but also how teamwork is needed to realize every project.”

Grace Bank, a master’s degree student in structural engineering, appreciated the experience of working together as a team.Ěý

“We would not have succeeded in completing the home without working together. I gained experience in communication, teamwork and maintaining a positive environment under pressure. I also enjoyed figuring out real-life situations in a foreign culture,” Bank said. “Most of the issues we encountered are not presented in the classroom and can be more challenging to solve than the hardest equations we learn. Struggling helped me take a step back, evaluate the situation, and decide the next move to make. Nothing could be predicted, so it was nerve wracking and thrilling at the same time.”

Bank said the students came together under the stress of the build phase, when they learned to work in a “real-world situation with a real-world budget,” while getting the house constructed on time and competing. Overcoming project management challenges also created a bond for the team.

“Team Desert Phoenix was recruited late into the competition, had a full year less time to design and complete our home,” Kidwell said. “We rose to the challenge, including maintaining a rigorous, virtual, international presence with teammates in UAE. Our team worked very well together to overcome because we had a large student presence on site that was not afraid to put in manual labor and long hours to see the project to its finish. I am very proud to have been a part of a team with this level of determination.”

Out of eight teams that completed their projects, Desert Phoenix took place in the competition. The UofL students and faculty were in Dubai for about two weeks in November for the last part of the build phase and the competition phase. In addition to competing, the UofL group was also able to tour Dubai’s buildings and beaches.Ěý

“Our biggest accomplishment was definitely finishing the house,” said Ximena Flores, a sophomore chemical engineering major who was part of the team. “This opportunity also introduced me to the Conn Center in a capacity that I had not known before. I look forward to potentially working on future Conn Center projects.”ĚýĚý

, the U.S. Consul General in Dubai, was one of the dignitaries who toured the house. She noted UofL as the competition’s sole U.S. participant and emphasized the partnerships with the American Universities in Dubai. The Counsel General expressed her pride in the students, their teamwork and the house at a time when sustainability bears on mitigating climate change.

Also on the Desert Phoenix team was Klemmer Nicodemus, chemical engineer and UofL undergraduate researcher, W. Mark McGinley, professor of civil and environmental engineering in the Speed School, and Andrew Marsh, assistant director for Conn Center.

“The logistic agility required to perform in this competition is intense,” said Marsh. “The solar decathlon experience challenges students to rise to the speed of business. To succeed, they must apply knowledge from the classroom yet bring focus as resilient people. We are incredibly pleased with the performance of the entire team, especially the commitment and leadership shown by students from UofL.”

The startup, BioProducts LLC, took the top spot at the competition, backed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and others.

The goal was to find innovative solutions for using distilling byproducts. According to the competition website, about 10 gallons of byproduct are generated for every gallon of bourbon produced.

BioProducts is built around UofL-patented technology that gives those distillery byproducts new life, for example, as a low-calorie sugar substitute and as specialized activated carbon suitable for a number of high-performance applications, particularly lithium ion batteries.Ěý

For the pitch competition, BioProducts teamed with Louisville-based C&I Engineering Inc. to present how the integrated technology could be applied at different types and sizes of distilleries. And, said UofL’s Jagannadh Satyavolu, who helped invent the technology and later founded the company, how this process could create activated carbon that’s more cost-effective and sustainable.

“Using this technology — invented in Kentucky and for one of Kentucky’s signature industries — we can take this otherwise waste material and turn it into a game-changer,” he said. “This could help make distilling more sustainable, reduce pollution and much more.”

The technology was invented by Satyavolu atĚýUofL’s Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research in collaboration with Michael Nantz and his team in the UofL chemistry department.

BioProducts holds an exclusive license through , which handles intellectual property resulting from university research and helps forge partnerships with companiesĚýfor commercialization.Ěý

“We feel we are the right team at the right time to solve this challenge,” said Cliff Speedy, C&I Engineering’s executive director of projects.

Because they won the pitch competition, the BioProducts team received an engraved bourbon barrel lid and will now present to 500-some distillery professionals at the James B. Beam Institute Industry Conference in March 2022.

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UofL will lead the project in Kentucky with a public webinar April 7 on “Green Recovery and Climate Solutions,” one of 136 events held by universities in every state and 50 countries around the world in early April. Students and the public can participate in the project by watching the discussion with Kentucky energy experts on concrete ways to move the needle on climate change while creating jobs and income for all and then keep the conversation going in the classroom and in the community.

The UofL event will feature Rebecca Goodman, secretary of the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Steve Ricketts, co-owner and general manager of Solar Energy Solutions LLC and Zachary Kuznar, managing director of regulated renewables for Duke Energy, which has a company goal to reduce CO₂ emission by 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. The discussion will be moderated by Jacek Jasinski and Joshua Spurgeon, both faculty members in the UofL and theme leaders in the UofL .

“Our energy strategy must be market-based, aggressively pursue innovation and energy efficiency and promote a climate-resilient infrastructure,” Goodman said. “It must focus on affordability, reliability and resilience.”

“We have 10 years to solve climate (change) and we can get a lot done in this decade, but only if we focus the world on climate solutions,” Jasinski said. “We are proud to lead Kentucky for this global climate education project, and we hope students and concerned citizens across the state will join us for this important conversation.”

The event will be livestreamed via on April 7 from 2 to 4 p.m. A one-hour presentation will be followed by a one-hour panel discussion. The recorded webinar will be posted at the same YouTube address following the event. Register for the event at the . The recorded webinars from all participating sites will be posted there.

Teachers in higher education, high school and middle school are encouraged to assign the live or recorded UofL webinar as homework and lead the students in a discussion about the topics addressed. Project leaders from Bard College have prepared to assist instructors in every discipline teach the class.

“You don’t have to be an expert on climate to talk with your students,” said Eban Goodstein, economist at Bard College and director of the Solve Climate project. “Every subject contributes to understanding climate solutions. Whether you are teaching art, literature, business, philosophy or any other discipline, you can access the easy-to-useĚýteaching guides to make climate a class.”Ěý

In addition to the teaching support, organizers have designated the hashtag #MakeClimateAClass to spread awareness of the event and have developed a short to emphasize the need for action.

Photo provided by .Ěý

“The University of Louisville is grateful for our generous donors who support cutting-edge research, innovations in health care and student success,” saidĚýJasmineĚýFarrier, vice president for university advancement. “These extraordinary gifts help UofL become an even greater place to learn, work and invest.”

The support includes:

• $2.5 million to the from Otto D’Olivo to create the Otto and Susan D’Olivo Endowed Research Fund for Bipolar Disorder Treatment. This gift will establish an endowment to fund important research on bipolar and other mood disorders, conditions that affect one in five Americans. The focus of research will be on the basic mechanisms of these illnesses and the development of improved treatments.
• $1 million to the from an anonymous donor to kick off renovations to bring the school’s facilities up to national standards for student learning and adaptable teaching. These renovations will allow for hands-on experiences and opportunities for innovative thinking complemented by a state-of-the-art facility. In making the gift, the donor issued a challenge to support the next generation of nurses by giving back to the School of Nursing during the day of giving campaign.
• $1 million from Dr. and Mrs. William Cheadle to fund the that is responsible for directing all aspects of the general surgery residency program. “Mary and I wanted to give back to this outstanding residency training program which enabled me to achieve a successful academic career,” Dr. Cheadle said. “We appreciate the supreme devotion to the education of our surgical residents by Drs. (Hiram) Polk, (David) Richardson, (Kelly) McMasters and others in maintaining the highest standard of excellence of the University of Louisville general surgery residency.”
• $500,000 to the from Raymond Loyd to expand the M. Krista Loyd Resource Center and to fund transportation, housing and other needs for low-income patients as well as holistic therapies for all patients. A cancer survivor himself, Loyd is challenging everyone to give back and help save lives by giving to the center during Day of Giving.
• $100,000 to the from Hank and Rebecca Conn to continue andĚýadvance the center’s goal of renewable energyĚýand promotingĚýtechnologies, practices and programs that increase efficiency for energy utilization. Hank Conn issued a challenge to fellow UofL supporters: “We have committed $100,000 for UofL’s day of giving…our passion is renewable energy…we’d like to see you push your passion.”
• $30,000 from the Bezos Family Foundation and $15,000 from the C. E. and S. Foundation to the . This fund supports programming related to the Center for Creative Placehealing’s Kentucky Wellbeing Challenge, which will launch a statewide program that provides inspiration, tools and a platform for high school students to design S.T.E.A.M. solutions to some of Kentucky’s most critical health and wellbeing challenges.

Raise Some L, the University of Louisville’s annual day of giving, kicks off at 6:02 p.m. on Oct. 20, running for 1,798 minutes in honor of the founding year of the university. Learn more at .

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Van Clouse, a 30-year UofL professor who co-founded the entrepreneurship MBA program, and Henry “Hank” Conn, a UofL alumnus who pledged over $20 million to create the J.B. Speed School of Engineering’s , were this year’s honorees at the Nov. 16 ceremony.Ěý

Their names were inscribed on a plaque located just outside the college in Jane Goldstein Plaza.

Clouse, who will retire at the end of the academic year, is the Cobb Family Professor of Entrepreneurship and director of the . He has taught hundreds of students and coaches entrepreneurship MBA teams in regional, national and international .

“It saddens me that the time has come for me to retire,” said Clouse, who came to UofL in 1986. “I will continue to follow the program, but I feel like our current program is in really good hands. … I’ve told my colleagues if you ever have a question, give me a phone call and you may find me if I’m not out on a trail hiking somewhere.”Ěý

Conn earned his undergraduate degree from the Speed School in 1966, an MBA from COB in 1969 and a Master of Engineering from Speed in 1972. Since 1983, he has been involved in more than 25 startups.

He said his MBA “was priceless for me all the way through,” and said he was honored to be recognized in the Circle of Fame.

Clouse and Conn bring to 16 the number of honorees in the Circle of Fame, begun in 2012.

Past honorees are W. Stewart Cobb, ’56 (2012); Thomas R. Davidson, ’62 (2012); Terry E. Forcht, ’59 (2012); David A. Jones, ’54 (2012); James A. Patterson, ’55 (2012); Daniel C. Ulmer, ’55 (2012); Kenneth C. Gardner, ’72 (2013); Kent Oyler, ’80 ’82 (2014); Thomas A. Wimsett, ’86 (2014); Randall J. Bufford, ’81 (2015); Sean O’Leary, ’95 (2015); Diane Medley, ’80 (2016); W. Earl Reed III, ’73 (2016); and William J. Ready, ’01 (2017).

The Forcht Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Business, has launched ShareIt, a speaker series that encourages researchers to learn from UofL peers who have successfully done this sort of thing before.

“I’ve worked with a lot of researchers who are commercializing innovations developed at the University of Louisville,” said Dr. Mary Tapolsky, the center’s assistant director for external programs. “And it seems like there are a lot of unknowns when navigating this process.”

ShareIt aims to give new researcher-entrepreneurs a map. The program launched with a pilot event in late May, but will resume in fall with a full lineup of speakers talking all things entrepreneurship and innovation.

“Sometimes, it can be overwhelming and scary,” Tapolsky said. “This is a forum for them to hear first-hand about the experiences of their colleagues and learn from them.”Ěý

The pilot event featured Drs. Mahendra Sunkara, of , and Thad Druffel, of . Both are with the Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research at the UofL J.B. Speed School of Engineering.

They talked about effectively transferring product development from academic labs to companies, and the various issues that need to be considered. For example, how to navigate university policies and build a good team.

“The success will depend up on the way you structure the company in the early stages,” said Dr. Sunkara, also a professor of chemical engineering. “It is also important to understand COI-related issues specifically for those based in the university.”

The goal of the ShareIt program is to give new researcher-entrepreneurs a primer on things like that straight from their colleagues who have done it before – for example, Drs. Druffel and Sunkara.

Druffel’s Bert Thin Films through a phase I STTR award through the National Science Foundation in 2015, and a phase II SBIR award in 2017. And Sunkara’s Advanced Energy Materials a large, roughly 20,000 square-foot production facility on the north side of UofL’s Belknap campus.

Dr. Druffel said there were plenty of commercialization role models at the Conn Center.

“The culture at the Conn Center is highly translational and entrepreneurial,” Dr. Druffel said. “Several colleagues have launched new ventures, including our director, Mahendra Sunkara. Center benefactor Hank Conn has ensured this spirit and guidance is built in the center.”

Future topics for ShareIt include the importance of team chemistry, finding a business partner and structuring this deal, exploring different applications through customer discovery, value of going through LaunchIt, and the value of participating in the national NSF I-Corps program.

Those interested in learning more about ShareIt, or being notified of upcoming speakers, can email Tapolsky.Ěý

“It’s a big milestone for our company, moving from R&D to production and commercial sales,” said Vasanthi Sunkara, AEM’s president and CEO, at a ribbon cutting event June 2. “Today’s event commemorates …the company’s direction toward becoming a full-fledged commercial venture.”Ěý

AEM makes nano-materials for catalysts used in chemical processing and oil refining. Its new facility is in about 20,000 square feet at 311 E. Lee Street, just north of the Belknap Campus.Ěý

Interim UofL President Greg Postel said the move was another success story from the university’s efforts to work with industry, including through the .

“Our Institute for Product Realization was designed as a way for us to pursue these types of new relationships,” he said.Ěý

The IPR connects companies with on-campus resources for problem-solving and innovation. John Gant, the IPR’s director of industry partnerships and alliances, said the university is looking for companies, like AEM, that have an “innovative twist.”ĚýĚý

“This is exactly the kind of company we want to work with at the University of Louisville,” he said.Ěý

Advanced Energy Materials LLC has roots at UofL, and was born from a break-through technology developed at the Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research. The company now has an exclusive license agreement with the UofL Office of Technology Transfer for a portfolio of several patents, which could be commercialized as products for customers.ĚýĚý

Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, chief of Louisville Forward, the city’s economic development engine, said companies leveraging those kinds of UofL resources can help drive the local economy.Ěý

“This density of companies here that are using the intellectual prowess of the university to drive economic growth in our city is certainly part of our long-term growth strategy for economic prosperity in our city,” she said.

Terry Gill, secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, said these partnerships, with support from the state, can also drive growth throughout Kentucky.

Gill added thatĚýsuccesses like this can be used “as kind of a draw for other young talent in the region to the University of Louisville and really to highlight the wonderful work that’s happening there.”

AEM has nine employees with plans to hire five more by the end of the year. Total employment is projected to reach as many as 60 by 2019.

Photos from the ribbon cutting event are . Video from the event is also available below:Ěý