Skip to main content
Engineering Leadership Institute College of Engineering

Annual Report

Download the summary here.


UF Engineering Innovation Institute Annual Report AY 2023-2024
(Summer 23 – Spring 24)

Overview

The University of Florida Engineering Innovation Institute (EII) aims to cultivate a culture of innovation among faculty, students, and staff of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. The institute’s mission is to produce leaders equipped with engineering and innovation skills to address significant societal challenges.

Academic Offerings

  • Coursework: EII provided coursework to 876 unique engineering students, comprising 505 undergraduates and 371 graduates. Since 2010, nearly 8,000 students have taken EII courses, with an average annual growth rate of 16%.
  • Certificates and Minor: The institute offers undergraduate and graduate certificates in Engineering Innovation and an undergraduate minor. This year saw 40 undergraduate and 29 graduate applications for certificates and 51 applications for the minor, both record highs.
  • International Program: EII took 15 interdisciplinary undergraduate engineering students to Berlin for a summer program, combining international experience with intensive coursework.

Experiential Education Programs

  • IGNITE: The Innovation Gator Network for Inspiring Technological Entrepreneurship (IGNITE) launched, engaging 1,187 students across 65 events. It provides resources, mentorship, and leadership opportunities.
  • Creativity Program: Hosted five specialized workshops integrating creative processes into engineering education.
  • Spark Program: Supports student startups through structured programming and access to resources and mentorship.
  • Immersion Program: Facilitated visits to startups and incubators, securing internships and offering hands-on entrepreneurial experience.
  • Innovation Competency Development: Developed a skill tracking and certification system to enhance students’ innovation leadership skills.
  • UF Innovation Fellows: Multidisciplinary teams worked on industry-sponsored projects, fostering collaboration across various fields.
  • L3Harris Seminar Series: Weekly seminars connected students with industry leaders to explore innovative technologies and research.

Faculty Service

  • Skills-Builders Module Training: Provided turnkey modules to faculty, reaching 509 students with topics like innovation, creativity, and elevator pitches.
  • Research Commercialization: Supported the commercialization of faculty research, resulting in 84 inventions and 34 technology licenses.
  • Corporate Engagement: Renewed corporate engagement program, building collaborations with major industry partners.
  • Affiliate Faculty Support: Collaborated with Dr. Elif Akcali and Dr. Melissa White on integrating creativity into engineering education.

Outreach through UF Innovation Station – Sarasota County (UFIS-SC)

  • Company Connections: Engaged with over 60 companies, resulting in 84 internships and eight full-time positions.
  • Critical Need Degree Programs: Enrolled 107 students in programs like computer science and engineering.
  • K-12 Activities: Reached 845 K-12 students through career highlight events and computer science camps. Faculty and student groups also participated in outreach activities.

These highlights capture the essence of EII’s impact and activities during the academic year, showcasing its commitment to fostering innovation and preparing students for leadership roles in engineering and beyond.

Inquiries can be directed to:

Erik Sander
The Michael Durham Executive Director
UF Engineering Innovation Institute
esander@ufl.edu | (352) 392-7047