RISE-UP

Resilient Innovative Sustainable Economies via University Partnerships Program

is a collaboration of the ix, University of Ჹɲʻ at Mānoa, and 401 Tech Bridge (a division of the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation).

 
 

Together, these organizations leverage complementary technical expertise, collectively develop, and commercialize scalable technologies, and build a workforce for industries of the future. We are looking for mentors to work with the UAF C-ICE team and our supported innovators. If you would like to connect with C-ICE and become a Rise-Up Mentor then fill out this form:

There are four components to the RISE-UP initiative, that have parallel programs within each state and each location. These components support the development of technical solutions to real world needs, and cultivate an environment committed to preparing the next-generation of talent for the jobs of the future. At UAF, these four components are:

Graduate Fellowships and Postdocs

For graduate students and postdocs:  
The Entrepreneurial Fellowship covers tuition, insurance, and provides a stipend to explore the potential of their project and develop their idea further into a solution solving a real-world need. Fellows participate in training designed to teach them how to maximize the impact of their research, and work with mentors toward milestones to get their research in the hands of those who need it.  
If you have an idea, please please read the Entrepreneurial Fellowship  to learn the requirements of the application process and the goals of the fellowship. If you have questions and are interests, please contact Prof. Peter Webley @ pwwebley@alaska.edu.

 

Once your application is ready for either program, please submit it via this .

Innovation for Alaska and the Arctic Training

Spring 2025 course: Sign up to - Innovation for Alaska and the Arctic

  • Undergraduate and graduate classes that teach skills to rapidly address emerging and mission-critical needs of Alaskan communities, industry, governmental groups and agencies.
  • Students focus on identifying the needs of communities, building towards implementable operational solutions, and focusing on real-world problems. 
  • For more information: Email - pwwebley@alaska.edu
  • Keep up to date via Center ICE Newsletter and .

Ideation Studio 

The Ideation Studio is a program designed to help researchers and scholars connect, spark innovative ideas, and co-develop new interdisciplinary projects geared toward problem-solving. The Ideation Studio sponsors networking events, and supports new teams and initiatives through seed funding and connections. 

Faculty Fellows

This program is developed for our faculty to develop cutting edge, transformative experiences for students and pilot new initiatives. Fellows projects will open up opportunities for the Fellows themselves, students, the state of Alaska and the many institutional support staff who make UAF the premier research university in Alaska. 

Faculty who are awarded a Fellowship : 

    • Are seen for their leadership in creating cutting edge experiences for students and in strengthening the Alaska innovation ecosystem.
    • Gain recognition from their chairs and deans, Alaskan industry thought leaders, and students for taking the risks to effect real change. 
    • Have access to a team of supportive institutional and community leaders and thinkers who will help them implement their ideas.
    • Get training in topics like Lean Methodologies, Design and Systems Thinking, or other innovation-related topics.
    • Are paid a stipend and see the fellowship reflected in their workload and in tenure and promotion files.

Testbeds Opportunity

Are you a startup company or scalable business? Are you interested in connecting with UAF's facilities to grow and scale your innovations? Under the testbeds program, the UAF Center ICE team is building a database of facilities across UAF that can work with scalable companies and building a network of local and regional companies looking at UAF to collaborative with the University on joint opportunities. If you are interested in this testbeds opportunity, then please fill out this form:

Learn More on RISE-UP

Each component collaborates with the equivalent programs at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and 401 Tech Bridge in Rhode Island. For more information on the RISE-UP program and its components, please contact the project lead Peter Webley (pwwebley@alaska.edu) with the subject "RISE-UP". 

Funding for this RISE-UP initiative is through grant funding to UAF Center ICE from the Office of Naval Research.