Center for Communication Excellence

The I-Corps program is a five-week training experience designed for innovators to explore the commercial potential of their technology or ideas. The curriculum focuses on customer discovery to support the transition of research, devices, processes, or intellectual work into the marketplace or broader societal impact. Teams that complete the program are eligible to receive up to $1,500 in travel reimbursement to support continued customer discovery efforts.

Kickoff session: May 22

https://greatlakesicorps.org/programs/regional-icorps/isu/

Congratulations to Araz Hasheminezhad, recipient of the 2026 Zaffarano Prize! 🎉

Araz earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering) from Iowa State University in 2025, following the completion of an additional master’s degree during his studies.

His research focuses on improving the sustainability and resilience of unpaved roads through the use of recycled plastic-based geosynthetics. His team developed and evaluated the first geogrid made entirely from recycled plastic, demonstrating that these materials can perform comparably to virgin materials while supporting more sustainable transportation infrastructure and circular economy solutions.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition and impactful research! 👏