UWM leads the way in providing resources for businesses in areas including water, energy, sustainability, infrastructure, biomedical health and advanced materials. Collaborative arrangements with local and national research consortia and centers of excellence bring business and industry breakthrough research to promote innovation, economic development, job creation and growth.

Member of 2 NSF I/UCRCs


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UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science plays a vital role in these National Science Foundation (NSF) Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (U/UCRC). They facilitate collaboration between academia, industry and government that performs pre-competitive fundamental research, driving innovation and the U.S. economy.

GRid-connected Advanced Power Electronic Systems (GRAPES)

The mission of GRAPES is to accelerate the adoption and insertion of power electronics into the grid, making power systems more sustainable, cost-effective and secure. UWM is one of three university partners in this national initiative, tapping our expertise in energy power and controls.

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Water Equipment and Policy Center (WEP)
Led by UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science water research expert Qian Liao, WEP is a catalyst for innovation in North America’s water industry. Through WEP, UWM researchers are working with industry members to pursue promising technologies to remove widespread contaminants, including PFAs and heavy metals, from water, using sensors, innovative water treatment systems and novel materials.

Learn more in this brief video (1:43 seconds)

Key Parther in Other Collaborations


Connected Systems Institute
UWM’s Connected Systems Institute (CSI) is a multidisciplinary, statewide collaboration between academia and industry that develops manufacturing domain specialists through education, state-of-the-art lab facilities and collaborative research opportunities. The ideal match for our researchers’ advanced manufacturing, robotics, AI and big data expertise.


Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin
A partnership of Wisconsin’s 13 public universities, connecting with industry partners, local communities, policymakers and advocacy groups, with a mission to train the next generation of water researchers and problem solvers and to establish Wisconsin as a global leader in water-related science, technology and economic growth. Researchers from across the College of Engineering & Applied Science are focused on related water research.


Institute for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation We aspire to be a national leader in improving physical infrastructure to support and enhance the mobility of people and goods, economic development, public safety and health. Our mission is to offer solutions through research, innovation, collaboration, education, workforce development and technology transfer.


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Mid-West Energy Research Consortium (M-WERC)
Focused on the growth and economic competitiveness of the energy, power and control industry cluster across the Midwest, UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science researchers play a key role in this initiative.


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Milwaukee I-Corps™ Program
The Milwaukee I-Corps™ Program links new venture and business mentors with academics to investigate the pathways for commercializing research ideas. The site is led by Director Ilya Avdeev, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the College of Engineering & Applied Science.


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Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute

The Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute is a partnership between Northwestern Mutual, UWM and Marquette, formed to inspire and cultivate passion for data science in the Milwaukee region. Leveraging the strengths of the three institutions, the groundbreaking partnership will contribute $40 million over five years to help build a technology ecosystem and advance southeastern Wisconsin as a national hub for technology, research, business and talent development, while creating an organic pipeline of tech talent in the area.