At the Battelle Center, we’re redefining the role of a university research center by integrating student development with community impact through cutting-edge research. Our projects are designed to provide hands-on learning opportunities for students while directly addressing societal challenges.
Our Work
Driving innovation in the public interest through research and development, collaboration, and experiential learning.
Our Approach
1 Community Impact
Our work targets real-world issues faced by our organizational partners, driving innovation and providing solutions that benefit society.
2 Cutting-edge Research
Our research tackles complex challenges at the intersection of science, technology, and policy. By collaborating with experts across disciplines, we develop forward-thinking solutions that drive progress and inform decision-making for the greater good.
3 Student Development
We use research projects as a platform for students to gain practical skills and experience, preparing them for impactful careers.
Current and Recent Projects
At the Battelle Center, our work is defined by the impact we make through our diverse projects. We prioritize initiatives that address critical challenges and drive innovation across multiple sectors. Here are some of our ongoing and recent projects:
Supported by NSF, the EmPOWERment Program trains future researchers in energy systems. It provides interdisciplinary skills to develop sustainable energy solutions, bridging the gap between research and practical applications.
Also funded by NSF, the Wicked Science program helps graduate students address complex, interdisciplinary problems. It equips them with diverse tools and perspectives to tackle challenging issues from multiple angles.
Our collaboration with Invenergy, Intel, and Microsoft focuses on developing a talent pipeline for national security missions. We’re identifying and nurturing skills needed for defense and intelligence, ensuring the right talent is prepared for critical roles.
As part of the Public Interest Technology-University Network, our Midwest Hub focuses on advancing public interest technology through collaboration. We bring together academic institutions, industry partners, and government agencies to develop tech solutions that benefit the public.
Our RIPI (Rapid Innovation for Public Impact) projects reflect our dedication to impactful research and development. These initiatives span various fields in order to push the limits of knowledge and innovation to address strategic challenges.
Synthesizing perspective, insights and advice from industry, public-policy and higher education thought leaders to position the Ohio Innovation Exchange as a valued and sustainable early-stage, resource discovery tool of Ohio’s ecosystem of innovation.
Evaluation of SECURE (Safeguarding the entire community of the U.S. research ecosystem), an NSF-funded center
The ROOTED Dashboard is an interactive tool that turns district-level education and workforce data into clear insights to strengthen Ohio’s talent pipeline. It tracks high school graduation, FAFSA completion, college enrollment and degree attainment to show where students succeed and where support is needed. Policymakers, educators and community leaders can explore local trends, compare districts to statewide outcomes and make data-driven decisions to improve opportunities across the state.
INSPIRES develops K–12 and undergraduate curriculum using materials from the ISS National Laboratory to engage students in critical thinking, problem-solving and exploration of space-based science. The project partners with Metro Schools to pilot lessons and modules that bring real-world science, technology and policy challenges into the classroom with the goal of creating scalable learning experiences for students across Ohio.