The IRIS Impact Finder is a new, interactive web tool that helps non-data-experts search the IRIS dataset to find vendors that provide research-related goods and services to universities’ sponsored research projects. This allows university communications teams to illustrate the social and economic benefits of research spending in targeted geographic or subject matter areas.
The Impact Finder is now available to IRIS members through the member portal at https://irisweb.isr.umich.edu/
To learn more about the Impact Finder and how to use it, please view the video of a webinar we held in Aug. 2020 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z-Wua5Ju5E.
The University of Michigan’s highly successful “This is Michigan” public relations campaign, and its piece highlighting a West Michigan manufacturer of treadmills for children with Down Syndrome, is a prime example of the power of IRIS data and the utility of the Impact Finder.
U-M wanted to show that university research has impacts across the state. Using IRIS data, the university found a company called Carlin’s Creations that experienced significant growth after working on a sponsored U-M research project producing treadmills for children. A team of Kinesiology researchers had found that the exercise helps children’s development, and the company ended up finding significant new markets and adding employees as a result of developing and manufacturing the child-sized treadmills.
The Carlin’s Creation video and PR campaign was viewed by more than 1.2 million people, prompted significant media coverage, and was featured in a public service announcement that aired during the university’s football bowl appearance.
Our goal with creating the Impact Finder is to help you find similarly striking stories from in your university’s research enterprise.
Screenshots of the Impact Finder:
Impact Finder Search Filters
Search Results: Map and Vendor List