3…2…1… LEGO!

The first Utah First Lego League (FLL) Championship will kick off at 8 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2011. 560 middle school students, ages 9-14, will be competing in this exciting event, which combines Lego robots, teamwork and an energetic, tournament atmosphere to promote science, technology and innovation.

Putting Utah Technologies on the Fast Track

The University of Utah and the Utah Science and Technology Research Initiative (USTAR) have opened the doors to the Accelerator — a new 10,000-square-foot facility that promises to give budding companies the support, space and equipment needed to develop and refine their technologies and products. The Accelerator is managed by the university’s Technology Commercialization Office (TCO), which helps researchers, faculty and inventors protect their inventions and turn them into viable businesses.

Forum on Unconventional Fuels

Obtaining fuels from sources such as oil sands, oil shale and coal gasification will be discussed by scientific, industry, environmental and legal experts during a day-long conference at the University of Utah on Wednesday, April 28.

African Gala, Haitian Relief Benefit

The Black Student Union (BSU) and African American Programs at the University of Utah will host a one of a kind celebration and silent auction to kick-off Black History Month and serve as a benefit gala for their Haitian relief project.

How Size Matters for Catalysts

University of Utah chemists demonstrated the first conclusive link between the size of catalyst particles on a solid surface, their electronic properties and their ability to speed chemical reactions. The study is a step toward the goal of designing cheaper, more efficient catalysts to increase energy production, reduce Earth-warming gases and manufacture a wide variety of goods from medicines to gasoline.

Dog Coats – PHOTO ONLY

Big Survey of Utah’s Gay, Bisexual Men

The University of Utah and community groups statewide plan to survey 1,000 gay and bisexual men about their health risks starting June 6 in an effort to better target future services such as education to prevent AIDS.

Marrow Donor Registration Drive at U

Each day, more than 6,000 men, women and children search the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry for life-saving donors. These patients have leukemia and other diseases that can be treated by marrow transplants.

U of U 2nd to MIT– 2nd Year in a Row

For the second year in a row, the University of Utah (the U) was ranked second in the country at starting technology companies based on its research. This is according to the latest survey of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), which ranks over 150 public and private research institutions throughout the country. The ranking is based on the U’s accomplishment of starting 18 new companies in 2007 from technologies based on its varied research.

Seasoned Entrepreneurs Engage with University Startup Companies

It has been said that wise people learn from others’ experiences. This is the genesis of the University of Utah’s new initiative: the Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) program. The plan is to align seasoned entrepreneurs with young university startup companies to help the new companies as they develop business plans, acquire financing, and begin operations.