Media Releases

The Association of University Research Parks is a professional association of university related research and science parks. For more information, email [email protected]

University of Utah Research Park Set to Host AURP 2021 International Conference In-Person
Celebrating 35 years, AURP’s International Conference to spotlight the University of Utah Research Park’s technology commercialization and high-growth entrepreneurial prowess

Tucson, Arizona, July 26, 2021 – Returning to its first in-person programming this fall, the Association of University Research Parks (AURP), a 35-year global nonprofit membership organization serving university and institutional research park communities and innovation districts, announces the University of Utah Research Park is set once again to host AURP’s 2021 International Conference, October 18-21, 2021, in Salt Lake City, UT. Read full press release.

AURP and BHI Announce Article in Journal of Commercial Biotechnology 

Tucson, AZ and Melbourne, FL, March 8, 2021 –
The Association of University Research Parks (AURP), a global nonprofit membership organization celebrating 35 years of serving the university and institutional research parks community, today announced the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), manager of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory, has become a new AURP member. Read more.

AURP President Leah Burton Releases Public Comments for USPTO’s National Strategy for Expanding American Innovation\

Tucson, AZ, February 11, 2021 – 
AURP, a global nonprofit membership organization serving the university and institutional research parks community, today released the following public comment from Leah Burton, AURP President and Director of Partnerships at NC State University, in regard to the US Patent and Trademark Office’s Request for Comments on development of its National Strategy for Expanding American Innovation. Read more.

AURP Elects New 2021 Board Members and Executive Officers

Tucson, AZ, December 17, 2020 -
The Association of University Research Park (AURP), a global non-profit membership organization serving the institutional research park and innovation district community, announces the installation of its 2021 board members and executive officers during the AURP Annual Business Meeting State of the Association Address held virtually on December 15, 2020. Read more. 

AURP Presents Annual Awards of Excellence at 2020 Virtual International Conference

Tucson, AZ, November 17, 2020 - 
The Association of University Research Parks (AURP), a global non-profit membership organization serving the institutional research park and innovation district community, presented its 2020 Awards of Excellence honorees last week at AURP's 2020 International Conference held virtually, November 2-6. Read more.

AURP 2020 International Conference Presents Revolution's Steve Case and BIO's Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath, Nov 2-6

Tucson, AZ, October 20, 2020 -
The Association of University Research Parks (AURP), a global nonprofit membership organization serving the university and institutional research parks community, announced today that Steve Case, AOL Founder and Revolution CEO, and Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath, President and CEO, Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), will keynote its virtual 2020 International Conference, November 2-6.

America's Bio and Pharma Manufacturing Renaissance: Where Do We Go From Here?

Tucson, AZ, August 10, 2020 -
Two of the nation’s hottest COVID-19 topics is the need for the U.S. to ensure medical supply lines through domestic pharma and bio manufacturing plus maintaining our scientific expertise in bio innovations. Billions of dollars of funding for new vaccine production are being deployed across the country; medical device production is increasing; and new policies are being debated in Congress and The White House. Read more.

AURP Announces the 2020 BIO Health Caucus: Virtual and Vital June 3-4, 2020

Tucson, Arizona, April 23, 2020 -
AURP’s 2020 BIO Health Caucus (goes DIGITAL on June 3-4) explores trends in life science research, opportunity zone funding, the marriage of life science and philanthropy, and finding funding for projects and facilities during a global pandemic. At this digital event, attendees will discover the role that biomedical clusters play in innovation ecosystems and translating discoveries from lab to market. View BIO Health Caucus agenda.

Association of University Research Parks COVID-19 / Novel Coronavirus Update

Tucson, Arizona, March 17, 2020 - 
The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has touched the lives and businesses of our friends and colleagues across our community of innovation. Our research community has been impacted by recent cancellations of conferences, closure of universities, and large gatherings. Our deepest sympathy goes out to those affected. Keeping in line with our mission to foster innovation, commercialization and economic growth in a global economy through university, industry and government partnerships, AURP will explore online educational offerings that build upon existing fundamentals to overcome these challenging scenarios. Read more.

Mtech Ventures, Association of University of Research Parks and Center for Accelerating Innovation win $50K in SBA funding to support Opportunity Zone innovation

College Park, Maryland, February 11, 2020 - 
Mtech Ventures, a university of Maryland technology company incubator program, won a $50,000 U.S. Small Business Administration Growth Accelerator Fun competition award to support innovation in federal Opportunity Zones in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. Through the gran, Mtech Ventures is partnering with the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) and the Center for Accelerating Innovation to organize community-needs roundtables, identify promising innovations, develop entrepreneurs and build awareness of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Tech Transfer (STTR) program in low-income census tracts called federal Opportunity Zones (OZ).  Read more.

Association of University Research Parks Announces 2020 Board of Directors and Officers

Tucson, Arizona, December 16, 2019 -
The Association of University Research Parks (AURP), a global non-profit membership organization serving the institutional research park and innovation district community, today announced its 2019-2020 Board of Directors and Officers. Read more.

AURP Presents Annual Awards of Excellence at 2019 International Conference at Georgia Tech's Tech Square

Tucson, Arizona, November 12, 2019 - 
The Association of University Research Parks (AURP), a global non-profit membership organization serving the institutional research park and innovation district community, presented its 2019 Awards of Excellence honorees last week at AURP’s 2019 International Conference hosted by Georgia Tech’s Tech Square in Atlanta. In addition to its awards presentations, AURP announced its 2020 Board of Directors and Officers. Read more.

AURP 2019 International Conference to Present New Report on the Evolution of Innovation Districts
Global Institute on Innovation Districts' Julie Wagner & Tom Osha to unveil "The Evolution of Innovation Districts: The New Geography of Global Innovation"

Tucson, Arizona, October 23, 2019 -
The Association of University Research Parks (AURP), a global nonprofit membership organization serving the university and institutional research parks community, announced today the Global Institute on Innovation Districts will unveil its inaugural research report, "The Evolution of Innovation Districts: The New Geography of Global Innovation," at the AURP 2019 International Conference, November 4-7, in Atlanta. Read more.

AURP Announces New CEO and Launches ‘AURP HQ2’ in Washington, DC Area

Tucson, AZ, and College Park, MD, Feb. 7, 2019 –

The Association of University Research Parks (AURP), a professional association of university-related research and science parks, announced the appointment of Brian Darmody, Associate Vice President of Corporate Engagement at the University of Maryland (UMD), as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Additionally, the association has opened a new office at the UMD Discovery District in the Washington, DC area, to be known as ‘AURP HQ2.’ Mr. Darmody will immediately assume his new role as CEO at the new location. He will continue his role at UMD and plans to transition out of UMD over time. Read more.

Genopole receives AURP Award of Excellence for Outstanding Research Park

Evry, France, October 26, 2018 –

Genopole, a French biocluster dedicated to research in the fields of genetics and biotechnology, today announces it has received the AURP Award of Excellence for Outstanding Research Park. This is the first time a member outside the US has been acknowledged. The announcement was made during AURP’s International Annual Conference in Baltimore (Maryland). Read more.

AURP Honors Awards of Excellence Recipients at its 2018 International Conference
AURP Announces 2018 Board of Directors and Newly Elected Leadership

College Park, MD, October 25, 2018 –

The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) today announced this year’s Awards of Excellence recipients during a luncheon at the 2018 International Conference hosted by the University of Maryland’s Discovery District in College Park, MD. Throughout the conference, the association announced other award recipients and this morning, AURP announced the newest members of its 2019 Board of Directors and the organization’s elected officials.

This year’s 2018 Awards of Excellence categories included the Outstanding Research Park Award, the Developing Communities of Innovation Award, the Emerging Research Park Award, the Leadership Award, the Vision Award, the Innovation Award and three Career Achievement Awards. Additional awards were received by two members of Congress. Read more.

Media Release Archive