Excellence in Innovation and Economic Engagement Award

Note: This year, two winners will be selected to account for both 2022 and 2023. At least one of the two winners selected will be an applicant who intentionally advanced talent, innovation or place in accordance with K-State’s Economic Prosperity Plan. The plan’s focus areas are:

• Food and agriculture systems innovation
• Digital agriculture and advanced analytics
• K-State 105: Every Town to Gown
• Biosecurity and biodefense

The following are questions that can help uncover thoughts for choosing and writing a submission that will capture and reward reader interest.

• In one sentence, what's the story?
• Exactly what's new, different, or unique about this?
• What impact has it had and how do you — or how will you — measure impact?
• Describe how you worked with the university and any of its support offices or units to bring the highlighted program or initiative to fruition.
• What barrier had to be overcome? How?
• Why should people care about this? How will it affect their lives?

Each narrative must be accompanied by at least one photo, drawing or other visual. The illustration should have a clear center of interest, draw attention and help in telling the story. No simple headshots of people should be included.

Note: The illustration is not included in the two-page limit for the narrative.

Each narrative must include at least one quantitative measure of the described impact. The metric used is at your discretion — use a figure or figures that are most appropriate to the story.

Provide readers with an opportunity to learn more about the activities highlighted in the narrative by including a link or links to other resources, such as:

• Websites or social media outlets.
• Formal or informal reports on the activity or project.
• Articles in university publications.
• Press clippings.
• Videos or blogs.

• A promising/successful startup company based on university technology.
• Talent pipeline or internship programs that help companies regularly hire students and alumni.
• A novel program or activity designed to have an impact on innovation or the economy .
• A particularly productive collaboration with industry .
• A university investment or commitment that has implications for the economy.
• Faculty being promoted and/or tenured based on scholarship of engagement.
• New courses designed to spur innovation, creativity or entrepreneurship among students. 
• Student initiatives that make a difference — a solar car team or venture fund.
• A major grant or award that strengthens the region’s innovative capacity or potential.
• Business plan competitions that create new startup companies.
• A sustained effort that creates new jobs or economic opportunities as part of your institution’s economic growth engine .
• Collaborations among universities that can lead and sustain economic development .
• Expert commentary — insights on major trends and issues having to do with entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development in the state. 
• Examples of student capstone projects or civic activities that serve the mission of the college or university by helping keep jobs, creating new economic opportunities that did not exist before or improving the quality of life for people the institution serves .
• Surveys/study results — anything on economic or workforce trends, alumni entrepreneurship or economic development.
• Successful collaborative efforts to lure or grow new/existing companies into the region and/or state. 

Because innovation and economic prosperity are central phrases in this program, it is important to clearly articulate the intended meanings.

• Innovation in the context of economic development often refers to technology transfer and other ways of making the results of scientific research relevant and useful. More broadly, innovation means new or novel methods, ideas or products.
  
  It is anticipated that many of the applications will highlight examples of the first definition of innovation. The word 'innovation' in the title of this award is also meant to suggest that exemplary practices are innovative and sustainable, whether they be in technology transfer; entrepreneurship; talent development; or university contributions to the social, cultural and community aspects of economic development or engagement.
  
  It is also important to note that for something to be an innovation, it needn’t be new or novel to the field as a whole — adopting a practice from somewhere else, representing a new or novel practice for your field of work or a first adoption by K-State can be considered implementing innovation.

• Economic Prosperity is also defined broadly for the purposes of the award. Most conversations about economic development focus on expanding financial wealth. Helping to promote and sustain economic prosperity is an important goal of university economic engagement efforts. Financial prosperity, however, is tightly interconnected with the development of human and social capital, and with the nurturing of community and cultural assets. Economic prosperity — for the purposes of this award — means attention to building value in all of these areas mentioned. At least one of the two winners selected will be an applicant who intentionally advanced talent, innovation or place in accordance with K-State’s Economic Prosperity Plan.