University Experts Portal
The Michigan Corporate Relations Network (MCRN) Expertise and Resource Portal will be an easy-to-use searchable web site featuring available university researchers and related resources such as core facilities. The MCRN Expertise and Resource Portal will be a single point of access website to serve businesses both within Michigan and around the globe. Combined with the corporate relations services at each MCRN associated university, the portal helps to solve the challenge of connecting university resources with business needs by providing a means for businesses to take advantage of the resources available at a single university, collaborations of universities, or the entire MCRN network of six universities.
For example, an automotive supplier is seeking to develop a critical engineering process that would enable the firm to expand into a new market. The process manager could search the portal to find engineering research experts who have the ability to help the firm solve their process problem, and connect to the university business engagement office, which will foster development of a win-win engagement relationship.
The MCRN portal will be built primarily on data in ‘local’ SciVal Experts implementations at participating institutions (see for example http://experts.umich.edu for the University of Michigan) and close coordination between the local implementations and the MCRN governance group. Local SciVal Expert implementations are live or in the development phase at Michigan State University, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor and Dearborn), Wayne State University and Western Michigan University with expected completion in the next several months.
The MCRN portal, expected to launch in mid-2013, will be developed and implemented in phases. The first phase starts in Q4 2012 with a planning and design phase to ensure input from relevant stakeholders in the design of the portal through stakeholder discovery workshops. Each workshop will take approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours and will be held in either Lansing or southeast Michigan. While stakeholders may be able to participate via teleconference, we would prefer attendance be in person. The workshops are expected to include participants from: Business (e.g., product development and technical R&D representatives from companies ranging in size from small/medium enterprises to very large firms), University Corporate Engagement Office Representatives and Research Offices (VP’s of Research, Associate VP’s of Research, Deans and/or Associate Deans of Research), and Local/Regional Economic Development Organizations.
For further information on the MCRN portal please contact:
University Research Corridor contact:
Britany Affolter-Caine
517-999-4007
Elsevier project contact:
Ashlea Higgs
646-509-7405
