University Center for Regional Economic Innovation

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REI Update for October, 2014

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Announcements

Summit a Success

Thank you to all of the presenters, moderators, and attendees for helping to make the 2014 Innovate Michigan! Summit a success. Economic development professionals, researchers, academics, inventors, and entrepreneurs from all over the state came together to share, learn, and create innovative economic ideas for our great state.

A special thank you to Ayleen Robainas Barcia, who came all the way from Cuba to share the story of historic preservation in Havana and the social and architectural impacts that historic preservation has.

We also want to thank our young entrepreneurs for presenting their ideas throughout the Summit, and the Michigan Inventors Coalition for joining us during this event.

Attendees helped us rate ideas for the 2014-2015 Co-Learning Plan Series, and our Consultative Panel will review the ideas and ratings to help us narrow the list to 6-8 topics. After we have finalized the list we will begin soliciting for our 2014-2015 Co-Learning Plan authors.

We solicited new innovative ideas throughout the event, and a few lucky people received prizes for their submissions!

News Coverage

Check out WILX's coverage of the Summit (with video)!

Fall 2014 Student-Led, Faculty-Guided Projects

Work is underway on the latest batch of student-led, faculty-guided projects!

Impact Assessment of Pollution in Southwest Detroit

Madonna University

This project will be an impact study of the health and economic costs of pollution in Southwest Detroit. The main objective is to apply existing knowledge and evidence about health impacts in Southwest Detroit to specific social and community contexts.

Afterhouse III

University of Michigan

The Afterhouse project has received a third round of funding from REI! The Afterhouse premise is to convert a derelict house in Detroit into a greenhouse. The constuction of the greenhouse will soon be completed, and it is expected to serve as a model for similar projects thoughout the city and state.

Arts and Culture-Based Economic Development in Flint

Michigan State University

The Flint Cultural Center (FCC) offers great potential to serve community interests and needs to leverage tourism, to foster creativity and knowledge development, and to serve as an anchor for placemaking around Flint. This project will use the FCC as a case study in economic development potential, analyzing opportunities for the FCC as well as linking it with the arts and cultural elements of the Flint Master Plan.

Family-Owned Business Database for the Great Lakes Bay Region

Saginaw Valley State University

Family businesses remain a vital force for innovation, job creation, and community development in Michigan. The Saginaw Valley State University Family Business Program intends to create a comprehensive database of family-owned businesses in the Great Lakes Bay Region and surrounding counties.

REI Network

We would like to welcome the newest additions to the REI Network:

• Angela Barbash
• Jess Daniel
• Tim Dempsey
• Michael Forsyth
• Elizabeth Garlow
• Elizabeth Hoy
• Ocie Irons
• Barry Lipscomb
• Edward Lorenz
• Susan Montenegro
• Kristin Shelley
• Olga Stella
• Avis Vidal

Social Media and Listserv

Thank you to our REI members who have helped us reach nearly 1,200 followers on our Twitter feed, over 390 members on our LinkedIn group, and over 700 on this ListServ.