World-class programs

Examples of commercialization of research from our world-class programs

1. In our materials research program, research has led to the creation of companies like Edge Technologies, and from it, Etrema Products, which manufactures, promotes, and markets Terfenol-D, an alloy with special magnetic properties. The success of Etrema is illustrated by a $5.4 million grant that it received from the federal government for further development and commercialization of this product.

2. In our Center for Crops Utilization Research, faculty and students work to develop new products from corn and soybeans, and where Associate Professor Deland Myers developed a technology for making construction adhesives using proteins from soybeans. That led to the formation of a company called Heartland Construction in Oelwein, which is commercializing that work. BASF Plant Sciences is now at the Iowa State University Research Park because of collaboration with Professor Larry Johnson in Iowa State's Center for Crops Utilization Research.

3. Our Virtual Reality Applications Center is truly one of the international leaders in virtual reality, with world-class facilities for research and education. Through funding from the Center for Advanced Technology Development, associate professor Doug Jacobson designed computer programs to halt hackers. Now, he's opened a business, Palisade Systems, in the Iowa State University Research Park to develop and market computer security products and computer network management programs. Palisade Systems employs 20 staffers and its products are used throughout the United States and Canada.

Alumni in Iowa

Technologies

Programs