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K-State Today

September 2, 2021

Nominate a colleague or apply for the Excellence in Innovation and Economic Engagement Award

Submitted by Livy Seirer

K-State faculty and staff, centers, institutes and units engaging in innovation and economic prosperity are invited to submit a two-page narrative for the K-State Excellence in Innovation and Economic Engagement Award by Tuesday, Oct. 5, to ecodevo@k-state.edu.

The award recognizes exemplary economic engagement across efforts in talent, innovation and place — plus the intersections of these categories.

  • Talent: focus on education and workforce development.
  • Innovation: focus on innovation and technology-based economic development.
  • Place: focus on social, cultural, or community development.

This year, two winners will be selected to account for both 2020 and 2021. While the ongoing pandemic has drastically changed the way people collaborate, K-State faculty and staff, centers, institutes and units have made concentrated efforts to thrive despite these additional challenges. This award recognizes those efforts. At least one of the two winners selected will be an applicant who intentionally pivoted to advance talent, innovation or place in a COVID-19 world.

Finalists will be recognized at the K-State Research Connections event on Tuesday, Oct. 26, and winners will be invited to provide a short presentation about their project at the event. Each winner will receive a commemorative plaque, along with a certificate and a $1,000 grant to advance their economic engagement efforts. Finalists and winners will also be featured in news stories and promotions about K-State's economic engagement activities.

Visit the award website for full submission details. Email questions to ecodevo@k-state.edu.