GRAPES Managing Director Participates in Panel at NSF I/UCRC Annual Director's Meeting

Photo Submitted

GRAPES Managing Director, T.A. Walton

On Jan. 7-9, the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center program hosted its annual Director’s Meeting in Washington, D.C., For the fourth year in a row, T.A. Walton, the managing director for the NSF Center of Excellence on GRid-connected Advanced Power Electronic Systems (GRAPES), was invited to present at the meeting. This year he was part of a three-person panel discussing “Strategies and Tips for Recruiting and Keeping Industry Members.”

Walton and his fellow panelists shared their extensive experiences in working with their industry partners with their fellow center directors. They also provided tips and tools for marketing their centers as well as successful recruiting strategies.

The GRAPES Center, which is beginning its sixth year in 2015 as a result of being renewed for another five years in 2014, is an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center, which brings university researchers and students together with industry representatives to create closer relationships, improve the industry relevance of research being conducted at universities, and to improve the education and research experience of students involved in the center.

GRAPES currently has two research sites, the University of Arkansas and the University of South Carolina and 17 government and industrial members. Walton has served as the Managing Director of GRAPES since its inception and in his role works closely with current industry representatives and potential members. In 2013, the GRAPES Center and Walton were awarded an Innovative Managing Director grant (one of the first 15 I/UCRC’s to receive this three-year grant) to aid in the improvement of center operations.

For more information about the GRAPES Center, please visit grapes.uark.edu.