Research centers & labs

How applied research works at Porter

Research at UW–Porter Falls is applied and partnered. Faculty and students work on real problems brought by manufacturers, health systems, agencies, and communities, run them like short engineering or consulting engagements, and deliver something the partner can use. Undergraduates are involved throughout — as paid research assistants, for course credit, and on capstone and practicum teams.

There are 34 named centers, institutes, and laboratories, plus dozens of individual faculty research programs and the university-wide undergraduate research program.

Centers

• Advanced Manufacturing Center — automation, robotics, metrology, and production-systems research and applied projects (College of Engineering & Technology)
• Center for Packaging Innovation — materials testing, distribution simulation, sustainable packaging, and regulatory consultation (College of Engineering & Technology)
• Discovery Center — connecting companies and communities to faculty expertise, student teams, and campus facilities (Office of Research)
• Center for Manufacturing Workforce Development — upskilling incumbent workers and building the pipeline into technical careers (Business & Industry Outreach)
• Center for Rural Health & Aging — access to care, healthy aging, and the health workforce in rural communities (College of Education, Health & Human Sciences)
• Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation — venture creation, the student innovation studio, and the campus venture fund (College of Management)
• Polytechnic Education Research Group — how applied, hands-on, project-based education produces learning and career outcomes (Office of Academic Affairs)
• Ergonomics & Safety Research Center — workplace injury prevention, hazard control, and safety-management systems (College of Engineering & Technology)
• Center for Financial Wellness Research — financial capability, behavior, and the design of effective financial education (College of Management)
• Furlong Gallery & University Collections — exhibitions, the permanent art collection, and object-based teaching (College of Arts, Design & Communication)
• Center for Inclusive Design & Access — accessibility research, assistive technology, and inclusive-design consulting (College of Arts, Design & Communication)
• Center for Community-Engaged Learning Research — the practice and impact of service-learning and community-based coursework (Office of Academic Affairs)

Institutes

• Sustainability Research Institute — life-cycle assessment, circular design, energy, and community sustainability (College of Science & Mathematics)
• Institute for Applied Cybersecurity — security operations research, detection engineering, and cyber workforce development (College of Computing & Information Sciences)
• Institute for Teaching & Learning Research — discipline-based education research and evidence-based teaching practice (College of Education, Health & Human Sciences)
• Institute for Regional Economic Development — economic analysis, workforce studies, and strategy for communities and employers (Business & Industry Outreach)
• Agricultural & Food Systems Institute — regional food systems, small-farm viability, and food-science applications (College of Education, Health & Human Sciences)

Applied laboratories

• Human Performance Laboratory — biomechanics, exercise physiology, ergonomics, and workplace-health research (College of Education, Health & Human Sciences)
• Polymer Characterization Laboratory — thermal, mechanical, rheological, and failure analysis of polymers and composites (College of Engineering & Technology)
• Data Analytics Collaboratory — applied analytics and machine-learning projects with partner data (College of Computing & Information Sciences)
• Structures & Materials Testing Laboratory — load testing of structural components, concrete and soils testing, and forensic evaluation (College of Engineering & Technology)
• Usability & Experience Lab — usability testing, user research, and inclusive-design evaluation (College of Arts, Design & Communication)
• Fabrication & Prototyping Laboratory — digital and traditional fabrication for design research and student projects (College of Arts, Design & Communication)
• Freshwater & Watershed Laboratory — water quality, stream ecology, and watershed monitoring in the upper Midwest (College of Science & Mathematics)
• Additive Manufacturing Laboratory — polymer and metal additive processes, design for additive, and qualification (College of Engineering & Technology)
• Applied Artificial Intelligence Laboratory — practical machine learning for industry problems, and responsible-AI practice (College of Computing & Information Sciences)
• Transportation & Infrastructure Laboratory — pavement materials, traffic operations, and asset management for local agencies (College of Engineering & Technology)
• Fermentation & Food Innovation Laboratory — fermented foods and beverages, sensory science, and small-producer support (College of Science & Mathematics)
• Embedded Systems & IoT Laboratory — connected devices, edge computing, and industrial monitoring systems (College of Engineering & Technology)
• Renewable Energy & Microgrid Laboratory — small-scale solar, storage, and microgrid control for rural and industrial sites (College of Engineering & Technology)
• User Experience Research Laboratory — usability testing, eye-tracking, and interaction research for digital products (College of Arts, Design & Communication)
• Assistive Technology & Accessibility Laboratory — adaptive equipment, accessible design, and technology for independent living (College of Education, Health & Human Sciences)
• Esports & Game Analytics Laboratory — player-performance data, game-design analytics, and esports program research (College of Computing & Information Sciences)
• Applied Linguistics & Language Lab — second-language acquisition, translation practice, and community language access (College of Arts, Design & Communication)

Start a project

Organizations begin through the Discovery Center — it scopes the problem, matches it to the right center, course, or team, handles the agreement, and manages the work. See For employers & partners for the full menu, and open resources for the free research tools the centers use.