Technology
University of Utah to launch groundbreaking DARPA-backed critical minerals testbed
Published
4 months agoon
By
The Strategic Materials Accelerator & Research Testbed (SMART) initiative will provide a first-of-its-kind testing ecosystem to accelerate breakthrough technologies for rare earth elements and strengthen domestic supply chains.
SALT LAKE CITY, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The University of Utah, one of the nation’s leading research universities, is partnering with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to launch the Strategic Materials Accelerator & Research Testbed (SMART), a major innovation platform designed to accelerate the United States’ capabilities in critical minerals and rare earth elements.
SMART will serve as a national hub for cutting-edge biotechnology research, providing organizations with tools to develop, test and scale breakthrough technologies, accelerating solutions that directly strengthen national defense and power the innovations of tomorrow.
The U.S. faces a growing need to strengthen its domestic supply of critical minerals and rare earth elements, the essential components of advanced technologies including electric vehicles, cellphones, renewable energy systems and national defense. Meeting this challenge will require bold new approaches for identifying, extracting and refining these materials.
With deep expertise in earth sciences, engineering and commercialization, the University of Utah is positioned to drive new research pathways and innovation models, advancing U.S. capabilities and helping shape the future of technology and manufacturing.
This effort builds on the University of Utah’s recent announcement of the Institute for Critical and Strategic Minerals, a university-wide initiative focused on expanding sustainable domestic supply chains through research, education and workforce development. Together, SMART and the institute position the university as a national leader in addressing critical minerals challenges from discovery to deployment.
“Necessity is the core driver of innovation. The U.S. desperately needs a testbed to accelerate our strategic material supply chain,” said Jakob Jensen, associate vice president for research at the University of Utah. “SMART is a state-of-the-art testing ecosystem that addresses a pressing need.”
“The launch of SMART reflects how the University of Utah is stepping forward to help solve one of the nation’s most urgent challenges,” said University of Utah President Taylor Randall. “By bringing together our strengths in science, engineering and policy, we are accelerating solutions that strengthen national security and build a more resilient, forward-looking critical minerals ecosystem.”
This first phase launches a larger, multi-phase initiative to expand national capacity in critical minerals research, development and deployment. Phase I will support DARPA’s Environmental Microbes as a BioEngineering Resource (EMBER) program, which is pioneering new ways to unlock America’s supply of rare earth elements. SMART is establishing a state-of-the-art benchmarking space on the University of Utah campus to accelerate the path from lab discovery to real-world solutions. Benchmarking infrastructure is often difficult to fund, yet it is essential for validating breakthrough technologies and determining their potential to scale.
“One of the biggest challenges in this space is not invention, but translation,” said Sha-Chelle Manning, chief of DARPA’s Commercial Strategy Office. “SMART is designed to reduce the risk of scaling new technologies by giving innovators a place to validate performance at meaningful scale, helping accelerate the transition from breakthrough science to actual capability.”
The testbed was developed in coordination and with the support of multiple Utah entities, including 47G, the Utah Mining Association and the World Trade Center. This collaboration represents a distinctive model for research-driven innovation and helps position the state as an ideal home for the lab.
“47G is proud to have played a key role in forging the relationships that made SMART possible,” said Aaron Starks, CEO and president of 47G. “This initiative is more than a research platform—it’s a testbed that will serve our local industry here in Utah while also advancing innovation and supply chain resilience nationwide. Our mission is to connect partners, align priorities and create collaborations that drive real impact.”
SMART is just the beginning. By investing in this platform, the University of Utah is helping position the nation as a leader in critical materials research and innovation. We welcome collaboration from industry, researchers and policymakers to expand this work and build a stronger, more resilient innovation ecosystem.
About the University of Utah
The University of Utah is the state’s flagship institution of higher education, with 18 schools and colleges, more than 100 undergraduate majors and graduate programs and an enrollment of more than 36,000 students. It is a member of the Association of American Universities—an invitation-only, prestigious group of 71 leading research institutions. Ranked No. 1 public university in the West by the Wall Street Journal, the U strives to be a model public university in delivering unmatched value in higher education and health care while making social, economic and cultural contributions that improve the quality of life throughout the state, the nation and the world.
Media contacts:
Amanda Ashley, Amanda.ashley@utah.edu, director, marketing and communications, Technology Licensing Office, University of Utah
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/university-of-utah-to-launch-groundbreaking-darpa-backed-critical-minerals-testbed-302778234.html
SOURCE The University of Utah
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Technology
ASU London opens, welcomes students to a new model of global higher education
Published
5 minutes agoon
September 22, 2026By
Students begin new academic journeys in London, combining project-based learning, industry engagement and the opportunity to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in four years
LONDON, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ASU London has officially opened its academic year, welcoming students to a new international higher education experience built around project-based learning, real-world challenges and global opportunities.
“We have designed ASU London to provide students with a compelling new way they can both gain an international experience and prepare for their careers, in the U.K. and the U.S.,” Arizona State University President Michael Crow said. “We’re in the business of changing people’s lives and futures. We will continue to expand our efforts and our impact to engage with learners all over the world.”
ASU London — an independent U.K. degree-awarding higher education provider — will offer three-year bachelor’s degrees in areas including business, computer science, engineering and design. Its programs are built around project-based learning and real-world experience, with students working on challenges shaped by industry and community needs, leading to opportunities for Arizona State University master’s degrees.
“I don’t think this has happened before, and that is what is so extraordinary,” said Sir Malcolm Grant, grant chair of ASU London’s board of trustee directors, a senior advisor to Crow and part of London’s university system since 1972. “We can take students internationally, give them three years’ education here in London, and then they may go onto a master’s program (at ASU).
“Being able to offer students this extraordinary opportunity…I am totally committed to this.”
The institution’s approach places particular emphasis on future-focused skills, including artificial intelligence, technology and sustainable innovation. Students from different disciplines can work together on complex problems that require practical solutions and collaboration.
Those who pursue master’s degrees at Arizona State University will gain exposure to one of the fastest-growing U.S. research universities, known for innovation, sustainability, the largest engineering school and its location within a region rapidly expanding in microelectronics and the knowledge economy.
“ASU is an exceptional partner in elevating Phoenix on the global stage, and I know ASU London will help our city and region take another important step forward,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “I look forward to continuing to work with Michael Crow and ASU to connect the world with the dynamic opportunities Phoenix and Arizona offer for innovation, investment and collaboration.”
Tackling global challenges
ASU London is designed to prepare students for a changing world of work and the challenges facing communities around the world.
“The world’s biggest challenges require collaboration across disciplines and borders,” said ASU London Managing Director Michael Goodwin. “ASU London gives students the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to contribute to those challenges while building careers in a changing global economy.”
The opening of the academic year also begins a new phase in ASU London’s relationship with the U.K. The institution is developing relationships with local communities, universities, employers, alumni and other organizations as it contributes to London’s educational and innovation ecosystem.
Learn with industry
ASU London’s hands-on approach reflects one of its central principles: to learn by doing. Students are encouraged to build, test and experience ideas through practical projects. They can work on issues including sustainability, artificial intelligence and smart cities while developing technical, professional and collaborative skills.
James Woods, who is studying business management after graduating from high school in Phoenix this May, said everything about ASU London — from its learning approach to its global focus — convinced him to cross the pond to begin his college education.
“I feel as I come to London, it’s going to open up more opportunities for me to be a leader,” Woods said. “You’re surrounded by leaders. And what I particularly like is that they’re not just handing you a paper to work on. You’re actually working on a project. You’re given a purpose.”
Industry engagement is a core part of the ASU London learning experience. Students work on projects shaped by employers and build professional skills from day one. Through project-based learning, real-world challenges and industry engagement, students develop portfolios of work that demonstrate what they can do as well as what they know.
The institution’s location in the heart of the city, at the Clerkenwell campus of City St. George’s, University of London, also places students within a diverse environment of businesses, creative organizations, technology companies and cultural institutions.
“Effectively, we’re giving them this very small, friendly and supportive community as part of ASU London,” Goodwin said. “But they have access to a much wider, bigger university experience should they choose to take it up.”
Connecting continents
ASU London also provides qualified graduates with opportunities to select one-year master’s degrees at Arizona State University in the U.S., subject to program requirements and applicable U.S. immigration and visa requirements.
These include master’s degrees in areas such as computer science, cybersecurity, electrical engineering, business analytics, entrepreneurship and innovation, marketing, artificial intelligence in business, economics, information systems management, supply chain management and user experience.
Beyond these one-year programs, qualified graduates from ASU London bachelor’s degree programs will have additional pathways to the wider portfolio of Arizona State University graduate degrees.
This gives students the opportunity to begin with a U.K. bachelor’s degree in London and continue their academic journey in the United States.
“What we’re doing with ASU London is we’re launching an experiment in academic innovation,” Crow said. “We’re launching an initiative where we can partner with more people in the U.K., an English-speaking country that’s deeply connected with people all over the world.
“We’re also trying to build in more agility for ourselves. You can’t come to the United States? Well, maybe you can go to England.”
For the 320 students beginning their studies this September, the new academic year represents the start of their own journey.
Among them are Gustavo Alves, a first-year student from Brazil who will major in business management. For him, the decision to enroll at ASU London was easy. It has everything he could want, both personally and professionally.
“The teenager life and the university life are great,” said Alves. “And the professional side, with the job market, with the connections you can make with companies in London, I think it’s a great city to be in.”
Although ASU London is in its infancy, Crow already is thinking about the future. He said ASU London could have as many as 4,000 students and be a global model for other universities.
“We hope that it’s a pilot for a global model because we’re working with Cintana Education to not only help start universities around the world but to help enhance universities around the world,” Crow said. “The education sector has under-innovated for the challenges that are ahead, and are very much focused on status and selectivity as their method of competition.
“So welcome, in a sense, to an innovative project.”
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asu-london-opens-welcomes-students-to-a-new-model-of-global-higher-education-302885632.html
SOURCE Arizona State University – Media Relations
Technology
ASU London opens, welcomes students to a new model of global higher education
Published
5 minutes agoon
September 22, 2026By
Students begin new academic journeys in London, combining project-based learning, industry engagement and the opportunity to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in four years
LONDON, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ASU London has officially opened its academic year, welcoming students to a new international higher education experience built around project-based learning, real-world challenges and global opportunities.
“We have designed ASU London to provide students with a compelling new way they can both gain an international experience and prepare for their careers, in the U.K. and the U.S.,” Arizona State University President Michael Crow said. “We’re in the business of changing people’s lives and futures. We will continue to expand our efforts and our impact to engage with learners all over the world.”
ASU London — an independent U.K. degree-awarding higher education provider — will offer three-year bachelor’s degrees in areas including business, computer science, engineering and design. Its programs are built around project-based learning and real-world experience, with students working on challenges shaped by industry and community needs, leading to opportunities for Arizona State University master’s degrees.
“I don’t think this has happened before, and that is what is so extraordinary,” said Sir Malcolm Grant, grant chair of ASU London’s board of trustee directors, a senior advisor to Crow and part of London’s university system since 1972. “We can take students internationally, give them three years’ education here in London, and then they may go onto a master’s program (at ASU).
“Being able to offer students this extraordinary opportunity…I am totally committed to this.”
The institution’s approach places particular emphasis on future-focused skills, including artificial intelligence, technology and sustainable innovation. Students from different disciplines can work together on complex problems that require practical solutions and collaboration.
Those who pursue master’s degrees at Arizona State University will gain exposure to one of the fastest-growing U.S. research universities, known for innovation, sustainability, the largest engineering school and its location within a region rapidly expanding in microelectronics and the knowledge economy.
“ASU is an exceptional partner in elevating Phoenix on the global stage, and I know ASU London will help our city and region take another important step forward,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “I look forward to continuing to work with Michael Crow and ASU to connect the world with the dynamic opportunities Phoenix and Arizona offer for innovation, investment and collaboration.”
Tackling global challenges
ASU London is designed to prepare students for a changing world of work and the challenges facing communities around the world.
“The world’s biggest challenges require collaboration across disciplines and borders,” said ASU London Managing Director Michael Goodwin. “ASU London gives students the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to contribute to those challenges while building careers in a changing global economy.”
The opening of the academic year also begins a new phase in ASU London’s relationship with the U.K. The institution is developing relationships with local communities, universities, employers, alumni and other organizations as it contributes to London’s educational and innovation ecosystem.
Learn with industry
ASU London’s hands-on approach reflects one of its central principles: to learn by doing. Students are encouraged to build, test and experience ideas through practical projects. They can work on issues including sustainability, artificial intelligence and smart cities while developing technical, professional and collaborative skills.
James Woods, who is studying business management after graduating from high school in Phoenix this May, said everything about ASU London — from its learning approach to its global focus — convinced him to cross the pond to begin his college education.
“I feel as I come to London, it’s going to open up more opportunities for me to be a leader,” Woods said. “You’re surrounded by leaders. And what I particularly like is that they’re not just handing you a paper to work on. You’re actually working on a project. You’re given a purpose.”
Industry engagement is a core part of the ASU London learning experience. Students work on projects shaped by employers and build professional skills from day one. Through project-based learning, real-world challenges and industry engagement, students develop portfolios of work that demonstrate what they can do as well as what they know.
The institution’s location in the heart of the city, at the Clerkenwell campus of City St. George’s, University of London, also places students within a diverse environment of businesses, creative organizations, technology companies and cultural institutions.
“Effectively, we’re giving them this very small, friendly and supportive community as part of ASU London,” Goodwin said. “But they have access to a much wider, bigger university experience should they choose to take it up.”
Connecting continents
ASU London also provides qualified graduates with opportunities to select one-year master’s degrees at Arizona State University in the U.S., subject to program requirements and applicable U.S. immigration and visa requirements.
These include master’s degrees in areas such as computer science, cybersecurity, electrical engineering, business analytics, entrepreneurship and innovation, marketing, artificial intelligence in business, economics, information systems management, supply chain management and user experience.
Beyond these one-year programs, qualified graduates from ASU London bachelor’s degree programs will have additional pathways to the wider portfolio of Arizona State University graduate degrees.
This gives students the opportunity to begin with a U.K. bachelor’s degree in London and continue their academic journey in the United States.
“What we’re doing with ASU London is we’re launching an experiment in academic innovation,” Crow said. “We’re launching an initiative where we can partner with more people in the U.K., an English-speaking country that’s deeply connected with people all over the world.
“We’re also trying to build in more agility for ourselves. You can’t come to the United States? Well, maybe you can go to England.”
For the 320 students beginning their studies this September, the new academic year represents the start of their own journey.
Among them are Gustavo Alves, a first-year student from Brazil who will major in business management. For him, the decision to enroll at ASU London was easy. It has everything he could want, both personally and professionally.
“The teenager life and the university life are great,” said Alves. “And the professional side, with the job market, with the connections you can make with companies in London, I think it’s a great city to be in.”
Although ASU London is in its infancy, Crow already is thinking about the future. He said ASU London could have as many as 4,000 students and be a global model for other universities.
“We hope that it’s a pilot for a global model because we’re working with Cintana Education to not only help start universities around the world but to help enhance universities around the world,” Crow said. “The education sector has under-innovated for the challenges that are ahead, and are very much focused on status and selectivity as their method of competition.
“So welcome, in a sense, to an innovative project.”
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asu-london-opens-welcomes-students-to-a-new-model-of-global-higher-education-302885632.html
SOURCE Arizona State University – Media Relations
Technology
ASU London opens, welcomes students to a new model of global higher education
Published
5 minutes agoon
September 22, 2026By
Students begin new academic journeys in London, combining project-based learning, industry engagement and the opportunity to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in four years
LONDON, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ASU London has officially opened its academic year, welcoming students to a new international higher education experience built around project-based learning, real-world challenges and global opportunities.
“We have designed ASU London to provide students with a compelling new way they can both gain an international experience and prepare for their careers, in the U.K. and the U.S.,” Arizona State University President Michael Crow said. “We’re in the business of changing people’s lives and futures. We will continue to expand our efforts and our impact to engage with learners all over the world.”
ASU London — an independent U.K. degree-awarding higher education provider — will offer three-year bachelor’s degrees in areas including business, computer science, engineering and design. Its programs are built around project-based learning and real-world experience, with students working on challenges shaped by industry and community needs, leading to opportunities for Arizona State University master’s degrees.
“I don’t think this has happened before, and that is what is so extraordinary,” said Sir Malcolm Grant, grant chair of ASU London’s board of trustee directors, a senior advisor to Crow and part of London’s university system since 1972. “We can take students internationally, give them three years’ education here in London, and then they may go onto a master’s program (at ASU).
“Being able to offer students this extraordinary opportunity…I am totally committed to this.”
The institution’s approach places particular emphasis on future-focused skills, including artificial intelligence, technology and sustainable innovation. Students from different disciplines can work together on complex problems that require practical solutions and collaboration.
Those who pursue master’s degrees at Arizona State University will gain exposure to one of the fastest-growing U.S. research universities, known for innovation, sustainability, the largest engineering school and its location within a region rapidly expanding in microelectronics and the knowledge economy.
“ASU is an exceptional partner in elevating Phoenix on the global stage, and I know ASU London will help our city and region take another important step forward,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “I look forward to continuing to work with Michael Crow and ASU to connect the world with the dynamic opportunities Phoenix and Arizona offer for innovation, investment and collaboration.”
Tackling global challenges
ASU London is designed to prepare students for a changing world of work and the challenges facing communities around the world.
“The world’s biggest challenges require collaboration across disciplines and borders,” said ASU London Managing Director Michael Goodwin. “ASU London gives students the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to contribute to those challenges while building careers in a changing global economy.”
The opening of the academic year also begins a new phase in ASU London’s relationship with the U.K. The institution is developing relationships with local communities, universities, employers, alumni and other organizations as it contributes to London’s educational and innovation ecosystem.
Learn with industry
ASU London’s hands-on approach reflects one of its central principles: to learn by doing. Students are encouraged to build, test and experience ideas through practical projects. They can work on issues including sustainability, artificial intelligence and smart cities while developing technical, professional and collaborative skills.
James Woods, who is studying business management after graduating from high school in Phoenix this May, said everything about ASU London — from its learning approach to its global focus — convinced him to cross the pond to begin his college education.
“I feel as I come to London, it’s going to open up more opportunities for me to be a leader,” Woods said. “You’re surrounded by leaders. And what I particularly like is that they’re not just handing you a paper to work on. You’re actually working on a project. You’re given a purpose.”
Industry engagement is a core part of the ASU London learning experience. Students work on projects shaped by employers and build professional skills from day one. Through project-based learning, real-world challenges and industry engagement, students develop portfolios of work that demonstrate what they can do as well as what they know.
The institution’s location in the heart of the city, at the Clerkenwell campus of City St. George’s, University of London, also places students within a diverse environment of businesses, creative organizations, technology companies and cultural institutions.
“Effectively, we’re giving them this very small, friendly and supportive community as part of ASU London,” Goodwin said. “But they have access to a much wider, bigger university experience should they choose to take it up.”
Connecting continents
ASU London also provides qualified graduates with opportunities to select one-year master’s degrees at Arizona State University in the U.S., subject to program requirements and applicable U.S. immigration and visa requirements.
These include master’s degrees in areas such as computer science, cybersecurity, electrical engineering, business analytics, entrepreneurship and innovation, marketing, artificial intelligence in business, economics, information systems management, supply chain management and user experience.
Beyond these one-year programs, qualified graduates from ASU London bachelor’s degree programs will have additional pathways to the wider portfolio of Arizona State University graduate degrees.
This gives students the opportunity to begin with a U.K. bachelor’s degree in London and continue their academic journey in the United States.
“What we’re doing with ASU London is we’re launching an experiment in academic innovation,” Crow said. “We’re launching an initiative where we can partner with more people in the U.K., an English-speaking country that’s deeply connected with people all over the world.
“We’re also trying to build in more agility for ourselves. You can’t come to the United States? Well, maybe you can go to England.”
For the 320 students beginning their studies this September, the new academic year represents the start of their own journey.
Among them are Gustavo Alves, a first-year student from Brazil who will major in business management. For him, the decision to enroll at ASU London was easy. It has everything he could want, both personally and professionally.
“The teenager life and the university life are great,” said Alves. “And the professional side, with the job market, with the connections you can make with companies in London, I think it’s a great city to be in.”
Although ASU London is in its infancy, Crow already is thinking about the future. He said ASU London could have as many as 4,000 students and be a global model for other universities.
“We hope that it’s a pilot for a global model because we’re working with Cintana Education to not only help start universities around the world but to help enhance universities around the world,” Crow said. “The education sector has under-innovated for the challenges that are ahead, and are very much focused on status and selectivity as their method of competition.
“So welcome, in a sense, to an innovative project.”
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asu-london-opens-welcomes-students-to-a-new-model-of-global-higher-education-302885632.html
SOURCE Arizona State University – Media Relations
ASU London opens, welcomes students to a new model of global higher education
ASU London opens, welcomes students to a new model of global higher education
ASU London opens, welcomes students to a new model of global higher education
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