Shapiro Administration Invests More Than $3 Million in 45 Student Research Projects to Advance Manufacturing Innovation in Pennsylvania
Gant Team
HARRISBURG - Department of Community and Economic Development  Secretary Rick Siger has announced that $3,050,357 in grants have been awarded through
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GantNews.com
HARRISBURG – Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger has announced that $3,050,357 in grants have been awarded through the Manufacturing PA initiative.

These funds have been awarded to 45 student research projects to help advance innovation in several sectors of manufacturing, from autonomous machining to clean energy to medical devices and more.

Siger announced the awards at the sixth annual Manufacturing PA Innovation Program Expo, held recently in Harrisburg.

The approved projects are part of Manufacturing PA’s fellowship program, which embeds the Commonwealth’s best and brightest graduate and undergraduate students with local manufacturers.

Once paired, the students embark on research projects to develop new technologies and advance innovation state-wide. Universities that have partnered with a manufacturer can apply for and receive between $25,000 and $70,000 in funding for specific student research projects.

“The Shapiro Administration understands the importance of investing in cutting-edge research projects like these to generate continued economic growth and foster innovation in the Commonwealth,” said Siger.

“Pennsylvania is home to some of the finest research institutions in the country, and I know the work of the students and projects funded here today will ensure we will remain a national leader in manufacturing and innovation.”

The 45 projects that received grants are involved in partnerships with local manufacturing companies and the following 15 Pennsylvania colleges and one Pennsylvania hospital:

Bucknell University

Carnegie Mellon University

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Drexel University

Gannon University

Lehigh University

Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania State University – Berks

Pennsylvania State University – Harrisburg

Robert Morris University

Thomas Jefferson University

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh

Villanova University

Widener University

York College of Pennsylvania

The fellowship was developed through collaboration with Pennsylvania’s seven research institutions, manufacturers, and industrial resource centers (IRCs) across the Commonwealth and is administered by DCED and Carnegie Mellon University.

Since its inception in 2018, the fellowship has granted over $15.1 million to 602 students across the Commonwealth for 234 total projects, and 174 Pennsylvania companies have benefited from these partnerships.

Earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Siger launched the Commonwealth’s first Economic Development Strategy in nearly two decades — building on the Shapiro Administration’s work to make Pennsylvania a leader in innovation and economic development and to create economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.

The governor’s 2024-25 budget calls for significant investments directly tied back to this ten-year strategy and issues a strong call to action for partners across all sectors to join in with their support.

The budget includes: $500 million in PA SITES funding to bring more commercial and industrial sites to Pennsylvania; $25 million for the Main Street Matters program to support small businesses and commercial corridors across the Commonwealth; $20 million to support large-scale innovation and leverage Pennsylvania’s best-in-class research and development assets; and $3.5 million to create and launch the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge to incentivize regional growth.

You can read Pennsylvania’s first economic development strategy in 20 years here. For more information on how the governor’s proposed budget will create opportunity for all Pennsylvanians, visit shapirobudget.pa.gov.