Michigan Tech Launches Traverse City Research Workspace

Michigan Technological University marked a milestone in its commitment to the Grand
Traverse region yesterday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially opened its
Traverse City research workspace.

Located in the Traverse Connect building at 202 Grandview Parkway, the research hub
is Michigan Tech’s inaugural workspace in Northern Lower Michigan. 

“All of us at Michigan Tech are pleased to take the next step in our partnership with
the Grand Traverse region,” said Michigan Tech President Rick Koubek. “By establishing
a physical presence in partnership with the community, we’re amplifying opportunities
for research, talent development and educational outreach, both at the K-12 and post-secondary
levels.”

“We are proud to be the primary sponsor for Michigan Tech Grand Traverse Area,” said
Warren Call, president and CEO of Traverse Connect. “Michigan Tech is a national leader
in public research and innovative partnerships with the business and government sectors.
Hosting faculty and staff of Michigan Tech in Traverse City brings needed talent and
capabilities to our growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, fostering the further growth
of our economy.”

Since March 2019, MTU and members of the Grand Traverse Area Michigan Tech Steering Committee, chaired
by Bill Myers, CEO of Promethient Inc., have collaborated to develop research and
technology commercialization partnerships, tailor talent development programs and strengthen K-12 educational opportunities. 

“The Traverse City workspace will advance research in areas such as aerospace communications,
manufacturing simulations and renewable energy,” said Jay Meldrum, director of MTU’s
Keweenaw Research Center and the official point of contact and liaison for Tech in
the Grand Traverse area. 

The efforts complement Michigan Tech’s existing partnerships with Northwestern Michigan
College (NMC), including the 2+2 program, which allows students to attend NMC for two years and then transfer their credits
toward completion of a bachelor’s degree program at Tech. Other partnering opportunities
focus on the coastal nature of both regions and include MTU’s Great Lakes Research Center and NMC’s Great Lakes Water Studies Institute.

About Traverse Connect: 

Traverse Connect is the lead economic development organization for the Grand Traverse
Region, which supports area businesses through a combination of business attraction
and retention strategies, talent development efforts and strategic coordination among
partner agencies. Traverse Connect is the lead entity serving the region in support
of business growth and development, alongside partner organization Venture North Funding
and Development.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 6,800 students from 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, the University offers more than 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.