Recent engagement & partnership activities

The best way to solve a problem? To start, look for someone else with the same problem. Then see how you can work together.

We see this dynamic at play across our state: small towns coming together to combine services, businesses sharing costly equipment, a farmers’ watershed group learning from each other’s crop results.

When the Leahy Institute team sees tough challenges, we tap our fellow Institutes for Rural Partnerships, located in Wisconsin and Alabama, to see what they’ve tried in their states. We’ve learned about how to bring better weather monitoring to Vermont through the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Wisconet program. Auburn University is sharing what they’ve learned about cybersecurity risks to infrastructure. We have offered our own lessons in building vibrant community schools.

One thing we've learned from working in Vermont and across the United States: creating thriving rural places is a team sport, and we're all better off when we're learning from each other.

Tricia

In late July, the Leahy Institute joined partners from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Auburn University for the annual Rural Partnership Institutes Consortium meeting in Madison, Wisconsin. The two-day gathering highlighted innovative approaches to strengthening rural communities through university partnerships, with presentations from several Leahy Institute-funded projects, including the Vermont Statewide Mesonet, Catamount Community Schools Collaborative, and Vermont Analysis of Assets, Angles, and Needs (VAAAN). Attendees also explored community engagement strategies, reflected on the consortium's collective impact, and discussed the future of land-grant universities in rural development.

Learn more about our Institute for Rural Partnerships Consortium.

The Clemmons Family Farm, in collaboration with UVM's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is piloting a program to support African diaspora foodways entrepreneurs throughout the state ot help grow their businesses.

This Leahy Institute-funded project, known as RECLAIM (Real-Time Medical-Grade Fluid Recycling System to Support Rural Vermont Hospitals), aims to convert medical wastewater into high-quality saline and irrigation fluids. By reclaiming and sterilizing local water, these fluids can be repurposed for surgeries and emergency medical care.

Read more about RECLAIM.

V-GaN Tech Hub Opens New Test and Characterization Facility

What: The Vermont Gallium-Nitride (V-GaN) Tech Hub is opening its new Test and Characterization Facility (TCL), a major addition to the nation’s growing microelectronics innovation ecosystem. The facility provides companies with access to the specialized equipment, technical expertise, and validation services needed to move cutting-edge technologies from the lab, to manufacturing, and ultimately into real-world applications.

When: Opens August 2026

Where: OnLogic, 435 Community Dr, South Burlington

More details about the new facility here.

Bioeconomy Employer Survey

What: A Leahy Institute-funded project is collecting input from Vermont bioscience employers to better understand the state's growing bioeconomy and inform a new Bioeconomy Impact Report.

The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete, and your participation will help strengthen Vermont's future bioeconomy.

Take the survey.

UVM VERSO Workshop: Open Science 101 Training

What: Funders now expect open data and code - are you ready? Join VERSO for Open Science 101, a free workshop built on NASA's TOPS curriculum covering open data, code, and results.

When: Sep 18, 2026 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Where: UVM Innovation Hall, e100 conference room

Learn more and RSVP.

Business Resources and Growth Inventory Survey

What: The Department of Economic Development has created a short survey to gain a better understanding of the needs of Vermont businesses.

Take the survey.

What is our staff indulging in this month?

For readers who love stories rooted in place: "Land," by Maggie O'Farrell, explores the enduring relationship between people and the landscapes that shape them. (Recommended by Tricia Coates, Director)
For anyone craving a thoughtful fantasy: "A Wizard of Earthsea," by Ursula K. Le Guin. The first novel in the beloved Earthsea series explores one young wizard's coming-of-age journey. (Recommended by Daria Jarani, Program Manager)
For fans of historical fiction with a twist: "Yesteryear," by Caro Claire Blake, imagines what happens when the past becomes a destination. (Recommended by Michele Karode, Manager of Outreach Operations)
For those interested in medical history: "A Miracle and a Privilege: Recounting a Half Century of Surgical Advance," by Francis D. Moore, offers a firsthand account of the scientific discoveries and collaborations that shaped modern surgery. (Recommended by Joe Rob, Intern)
For Vermonters: "Country People," by Daniel Mason, captures the humor, mystery, and charm of life in Vermont. (Recommended by Emma Spett, Engagement Initiatives Coordinator)
For fans of big, immersive novels: "Infinite Jest," by David Foster Wallace, blends satire, philosophy, and unforgettable characters into one sprawling story. (Recommended by Fitz Keenan-Koch, Research Assistant)
For fans of epic storytelling: "The Stand," by Stephen King, is a post-apocalyptic novel that follows survivors of a devastating pandemic as they grapple with the enduring struggle between good and evil. (Recommended by Jake Thomas, Communications Coordinator)
For fans of memoirs about resilience: "The Many Lives of Mama Love," by Lara Love Hardin, is a powerful memoir of addiction, incarceration, and redemption. (Recommended by Kristen Andrews, Internship Coordinator)
For anyone looking for thought-provoking fiction: "The Trees," by Percival Everett, blends mystery, dark humor, and historical fiction to confront the legacy of racial violence in America. (Recommended by Summer Colley, Economic Development Coordinator)