Adam Moule Awarded Proof-of-Concept Grant to Advance Innovations to Commercial Opportunities
STAIR provides funding to help scientists advance compelling research with commercial applications
Professor of Chemical Engineering Adam Moule was one of several University of California, Davis faculty to receive funding from the Science Translation and Innovative Research, or STAIR, proof-of-concept grant program, the UC Davis Office of Research announced.
The Moule group is developing a new tool to enable photolithographic micro- and nano-patterning of polymer semiconductors in hopes of reducing the production costs of certain electronics associated with the current method of using organic semiconductor materials. The technology could also open up new opportunities in other large-area applications like organic photovoltaics, thermoelectrics, lazing media, light detectors or sensors. To make it commercially viable, Moule and team plan to create a user-friendly, compatible add-on to existing photolithography tools.
UC Davis awarded $300,000 to help scientists advance compelling research and innovations toward commercial applications through the STAIR program. The recipients are targeting solutions in a range of applications including human and animal health, technology, environment and sustainability.
The program plays an important role in helping campus innovators overcome the primary hurdle of access to funding during one of the most challenging phases in new technology development.
The grant program, now in its 10th year, provides awards of up to $50,000 to campus innovators to enable demonstration of early proof-of-concept for technologies being developed at the university.
"The STAIR grant program continues to provide much needed support to evaluate and advance new technologies with commercial potential," said Denise Ehlen, executive associate vice chancellor for Research and interim associate vice chancellor for Innovation and Technology Commercialization. "The range of solutions pursued by this year's recipients reflect the broad impact university research contributes to society through commercialization pathways."
The STAIR grant program is funded by the UC Davis Office of Research and managed by Venture Catalyst.
