News from the Metals Innovation Ecosystem

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We have a lot of activity happening across the Commonwealth’s metals innovation ecosystem, through MI2’s member companies and strategic partners. This month, learn about:

• UK Innovate’s Kentucky Innovator Challenge, where the Metals Innovation Initiative and a range of other leading companies and organizations shared opportunities and challenges to drive research, development, and deployment of solutions in the Bluegrass State
• Canopy’s Third Annual Good Business Summit, where multiple MI2 companies were recognized
• Applications for a new cohort of companies to go through the Kentucky Chamber Fair Chance Academy
• Western Kentucky University’s continued growth and plans for its its WKU Innovation Campus
• Murray State University’s Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business 23rd Annual Awards Banquet, where MI2 CEO Vijay Kamineni sits on the advisory board
• AccelerateKY helps lead professional development day for Appalachian teachers on tying Appalachian ingenuity to acquisition of computational thinking skills
• The EDA’s Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship is seeking applications to create and implement innovative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) work-based learning models that complement their respective region’s innovation economy

MI2 Presents at UK Innovate Kentucky Innovator Challenge

On Tuesday, April 11th, UK Innovate–the innovation, entrepreneurship and economic enterprise for University of Kentucky Research–hosted its Kentucky Innovator Challenge at the Gatton Student Center on UK’s campus in Lexington.

The event brought together more than 150 leaders from business, service organizations, and higher education for a one-day summit to identify the most pressing challenges facing Kentucky and discuss collaborative solutions through research and innovation–forging new relationships while laying the groundwork for those innovative solutions.

MI2 Board Chair Matt Bedingfield (President of Recycling, Wieland North America) and MI2 Board Member Mike Buckentin (President and CEO, Logan Aluminum) were among the featured speakers, sharing the focus of MI2 and challenging attendees to consider challenges like how to capture metals products at the end of their lifecycle to keep them from landfills and bring them back into the materials supply chain.

Other presenters included corporate leaders from companies like Bullard, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, GE Aerospace, Gray Solutions, Holley, Houchens Industries, Lexmark, and Gray Solutions, as well as leaders from MI2 strategic partners University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.

Canopy Recognizes Multiple MI2 Member Companies at Good Business Summit

Canopy, a Louisville-based nonprofit whose mission is to make Kentucky first in Good Business, held their Third Annual Good Business Summit on Thursday, April 13th, at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville.

The event included Canopy’s First Annual Impact Awards, where we are excited to share that MI2 member Logan Aluminum was awarded the top honor as Kentucky’s Top Impact Company, showcasing excellence in the four Canopy fundamental categories: culture, governance, leadership, and external impact.

In their remarks highlighting Logan Aluminum as the inaugural winner of this top award, the leads of Canopy’s awards team highlighted the company’s commitment and support to the formation of MI2, the company’s participation in the MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program and support of the strategic work that led to the formation of MI2 strategic partner AccelerateKY, and its substantial commitment to its region and community partners, including work with MI2 Strategic Partners the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce and the Western Kentucky University Innovation Campus.

Additionally, Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products was recognized as an honoree of the Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest Environmental Impact Award for the company’s commitment to preventing and reducing their impact on Kentucky's environment.

Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Accepts Applications for Fair Chance Academy

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has applications currently open for the third cohort of its Fair Chance Academy, with a deadline of May 8th.

The Fair Chance Academy bridges the gap between businesses’ need for employees and those in active recovery or returning citizens to find meaningful employment. After attending The Fair Chance Academy, Kentucky businesses are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and resources to help them successfully hire, train, and retain exceptional talent and be on the road to becoming transformational employers. Click here to apply.

And, as a reminder, metals companies should be aware of the Chamber’s Kentucky Talent Hub as well. Launched in 2021, the talent hub provides a statewide mechanism meant to connect job seekers with Kentucky employers statewide.

Western Kentucky University President Shares Further Vision and Plans for WKU Innovation Campus

Western Kentucky University President and MI2 Board Member Tim Caboni recently shared an update with the full WKU faculty and staff about the developments and vision for the WKU Innovation Campus. The piece, which highlights the Metals Innovation Initiative’s headquarters at the Innovation Campus, highlights the university’s strategies and plans for the Innovation Campus as a site for meaningful corporate engagement and building the talent pipeline for growing technology, manufacturing, automotive and logistics companies throughout the region.

Murray State University Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business Computer Science & Information Systems 23rd Annual Awards Banquet

Murray State University’s Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business held the 23rd Annual Awards Banquet for their Computer Science and Information Systems Program, on Friday, April 21st. MI2 CEO Vijay Kamineni, who sits on the program’s advisory board, was in attendance at the event, where Murray State University faculty and students were acknowledged for their work. Learn more via their Awards Program.

AccelerateKY Helps Lead Strategy for NSF Program in Pikeville/Floyd County Schools

AccelerateKY is part of a team led by Digital Promise working with the Pikeville Independent School District and Floyd County Schools to tie the acquisition of computational thinking in Appalachian K-12 schools to the concept of Appalachian ingenuity. Digital Promise recently published a piece from a teacher reflecting on their first professional development day, entitled “How We’re Becoming Rural Historians to Inspire Project Based Learning.” The session was tied to the team’s new Drawing on Kinship project, funded by the National Science Foundation. The session, held in February and led by AccelerateKY, took teachers through a process of telling stories about the history and the future of Appalachian ingenuity, drawing on methods from AccelerateKY’s partners at the University of California Civic Imagination Project.

The Economic Development Administration STEM Talent Challenge Grant Opportunity

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) STEM Talent Challenge is currently accepting applications until June 12, 2023. The grant offers up to $500k in funding for innovative STEM work-based learning models that complement regional innovation economies.

The STEM Talent Challenge aims to support high-growth, high-wage entrepreneurial ventures, emerging technology industries, and innovation-driven businesses to accelerate economic competitiveness and job creation in the US.

For eligibility criteria and application requirements, visit grants.gov and email Ruthie Caldwell if interested in applying. To maximize your chances of success in securing this grant, we encourage interested parties to partner together and collaborate on the application process. Don't miss out on this opportunity to make a difference in STEM education and drive innovation in our region.