College of Engineering faculty pitch their ideas at Summerfest Tech

In June 2022, two College of Engineering faculty members participated in WARF Innovation Day at Summerfest Tech. The event took place at BMO Tower in Milwaukee, drawing dozens of in-person and virtual investors who listened to seven-minute pitches on high-tech innovations developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and other UW campuses.

Mike Arnold, the Beckwith-Bascom Professor in materials science and engineering, discussed his work on developing methods to better align carbon nanotubes. The nanotubes are thin rolls of graphene, a two-dimensional material with advanced properties that can outperform silicon semiconductors. Controlling their alignment will allow the nanotubes to be used on computer chips, enabling fast, efficient next-generation electronics.

Randolph Ashton, an associate professor of biomedical engineering, gave a presentation on his RosetteArray technology. The high-throughput human brain and spinal cord modeling platform, developed by Ashton’s company Neurosetta, is designed to quickly screen chemicals for potential neurodevelopmental effects on humans and could enable the faster development of drugs to treat neurodevelopmental disorders.

“This forum was an exceptional opportunity for investors, media and the public to interface with top University of Wisconsin ideas,” says Erik Iverson, CEO of WARF. “It is this exchange of passion and expertise that forwards the state’s innovation ecosystem.”