The day-to-day operation of the IUCRC will be overseen by the directors, Prof. Allan Guymon at the University of Iowa and Prof. Christopher Bowman at the University of Colorado. Both are experts in photopolymerization science and engineering, and they have worked together on several productive collaborations (including student exchanges) within the past three years. Each will be responsible for monitoring the expenditure of funds and managing the day-to-day operations of the center at their respective institutions. The directors will be assisted by the secretarial and accounting infrastructure provided by their department or college. To promote multidisciplinary interactions and ensure rapid response to any issues that may arise, all participants at each location will meet on a biweekly basis while the co-directors will hold monthly teleconferences.
To establish a strong link and promote active collaboration between the IUCRC and industry, an Industrial Advisory Committee (IAC) will be established. Interactions between the IAC and the IUCRC will be mutually beneficial. The IAC will provide guidance to ensure the industrial relevance of the fundamental research performed at the IUCRC. In this manner, the IAC serves an educational role and furnishes an important perspective that enhances the students’ abilities to identify and solve industrially relevant problems. Secondly, the IUCRC will provide the IAC with access to new knowledge and state of the art research and facilities. Members of the IAC will benefit from detailed reports regarding the center’s progress and results, as well as intangibles associated with the exchange of ideas with faculty and students. This function will serve to enhance greatly the transfer of technology and information from the IUCRC to industry. In order to serve these roles, the IAC will be composed of individuals who hold prominent research positions at companies that are members of the center. Each company will have an equal voice in the decision making process.
To facilitate interactions with the IAC, meetings will be held twice each year, one at each of the IUCRC locations. These meetings will include presentations on each current project followed by extensive discussions among the senior investigators, the students, and the IAC regarding the direction and relevance of the project. These two day meetings will facilitate technology transfer, improved project directions, and communication and interaction among the various investigators and students within the IUCRC. The dual-site nature of this IUCRC will, therefore, enhance links with regional industry in two distinct locations. Additionally, during these meetings the IAC and the directors will make decisions regarding which projects receive funding.