Supporting research from incubation to commercialization
Inside the Kummer Institute research centers
The Kummer Institute is home to four research centers that support research and development at all stages by working with industry partners to focus on high-impact economic areas.
Center for BioInnovation and Medical Engineering
Established in May 2025, this is the institute’s newest research center. In June, the university hosted a BioInnovation and Medical Engineering Symposium.
“This center will position Missouri S&T as a leader in developing technology for improving human lives by uniting academic expertise, across several disciplines, with industry demand,” says Stephen Roberts, S&T vice chancellor fand chief strategy officer. “Missouri S&T already has a strong legacy in solving biological and medical challenges, and with this new center and the future Bioplex facility, we will build on that foundation and expand our impact — faster and at a larger scale.”
Center for Advanced Manufacturing
With over $23 million in active grants, this center focuses on both industry partnerships and STEM outreach to expand manufacturing education. Part of the center’s grant total includes $9.1 million awarded through the MoExcels program to modernize Missouri’s manufacturing industry and develop its workforce with STEM outreach programs and new curriculum and equipment.
“We are building a future-ready workforce and accelerating innovation through hands-on learning and industry partnerships,” says Richard Billo, the center’s director and a Distinguished Professor of mechanical engineering. “Our shared manufacturing spaces and prototyping capabilities help strengthen Missouri’s manufacturing sector by providing access to advanced technologies and a skilled talent pipeline ready for current and future challenges.”
“We are building a future-ready workforce and accelerating innovation through hands-on learning and industry partnerships.”
$9.1 Million
grant awarded to the Kummer Institute Center for Advanced Manufacturing through the MoExcels program.
Center for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems
“AI isn’t about building systems that are smarter than people — it’s about solving real-world problems in transformational ways,” says Donald Wunsch II, center director and the Mary K. Finley Missouri Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “This center is playing a key role in this shift through our work in autonomous systems, entrepreneurship and hands-on student engagement.”
Over the past year, Wunsch has published several journal and conference articles on topics including adaptive resonance theory, control systems and machine learning, and he was awarded a patent for an offline clustering method of machine learning. He says the center has worked with over 70 S&T faculty members on initiatives related to AI research, outreach and future industry and government partnerships.
“AI isn’t about building systems that are smarter than people — it’s about solving real-world problems in transformational ways.”
Center for Resource Sustainability
“Sustainable access to water, energy and materials is essential to both human well-being and long-term economic growth,” says Shelley Minteer, center director and the Ken Robertson Memorial Professor in Chemistry. “The focus for the Center for Resource Sustainability is to develop practical solutions to reduce the environmental impact of mining and fuel extraction, expand access to clean air, water and energy and help communities use local resources more efficiently.”
Minteer says the center collaborates with biotechnology and clean energy companies on projects and has been awarded millions in grant funding from federal agencies. Over the past year, she has discussed center research at over 20 conferences and universities and published several articles related to electrochemistry, energy storage, biosensors and environmental monitoring.
“The focus for the Center for Resource Sustainability is to develop practical solutions to reduce the environmental impact of mining and fuel extraction, expand access to clean air, water and energy and help communities use local resources more efficiently.”