GAME Change reports good progress on creating a two-state circular economy hub
The University of Kentucky is leading the effort that also involves several Tennessee organizations.
The University of Kentucky (UK) reports that key businesses and organizations in Kentucky and Tennessee are showing their commitment to the UK-led effort to create economic, societal, and technological growth in the region through the creation of an innovation hub for the circular economy.
That work is part of the Generate Advanced Manufacturing Excellence for Change (GAME Change) project, which received one of the first-ever U.S. National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines, or NSF Engines, Development Awards in 2023. Core partners in the Volunteer State include the University of Tennessee’s campuses in Chattanooga and Knoxville, Launch Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee Board of Regents, Tennessee State University, and Vanderbilt University.
The UK-led alliance is focused on the circular economy which is a model of production and consumption that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products.
As part of its goal, GAME Change is investing in technology scaling infrastructure — GAME Change Technology & Talent Scale Centers (TTSCs) — filling a critical gap in the region’s ability to advance new innovations in advanced manufacturing and industrial sustainability. Space has been identified and dedicated in Lexington and Louisville to host TTSCs, with two more underway in Knoxville and Nashville. A video with initial design renderings is available on GAME Change’s website.
“We have seen enormous interest from across the Kentucky and Tennessee region spurring rapid growth in our momentum,” said Ian McClure, Associate Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact at UK. He serves as Principal Investigator and Executive Director for GAME Change. “We just hosted our third GAME Change Summit with a record crowd, where we unveiled design plans and first renderings of facilities we plan to activate in the region for GAME Change manufacturing and community partners. This momentum has led to new commitments from partners that are working with us to establish this innovation ecosystem.”
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