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Creative Inquiry + Undergraduate Research

The Corporate Creative Inquiry Program

Partner with CI + UR

The Corporate Creative Inquiry program allows industries to engage intelligent, creative Clemson undergraduates in industry-relevant projects and in doing so contribute to building the workforce of the future.

Students apply their knowledge and skills to ‘real world’ problems. Industries gain visibility on campus and have the potential to recruit interns or employees who understand their companies.

Corporate Creative Inquiry is best suited for open-ended topics that can be addressed through iterative exploration, design, implementation and evaluation cycles. Projects should extend across at least one calendar year. Student teams will cycle through the project, with each student engaged for at least two semesters. The needs of the project will determine the composition of the student team. Students may be recruited from within a single discipline or from several different disciplines.

For more information or to propose a Corporate CI, please contact Barbara Speziale (864.656.1550; bjspz@clemson.edu) or Cora Allard-Keese (864.656.0721; callara@clemson.edu).

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CI has New Funding for Industry-Related CI projects Fall 2024 – Spring 2025

Goal: Encourage faculty to involve undergraduates in CI projects with external companies In Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, CI can ‘match’ a company contribution to CI research

  • CI match up to $10,000 over 2 semesters
  • CI funds may be used for equipment, supplies and travel
  • Company contributions (cash or in-kind) may be used for any project expense (including salaries) permitted by the sponsor

Your CI project is eligible for these funds under EITHER of these conditions:

  • You have research funding or in-kind* contributions from an external company AND your CI project is on this research topic
  • OR - You obtain company funding or in-kind* contributions for a new or existing CI project

Requirements

  • ≥6 Students enrolled in a CI course
  • Project is accepted through the CI project manager: ci.clemson.edu
  • Project extends over 2 semesters (Fall 24 - Spring 25 or Spring 25 - Fall 25)
  • All spending must be completed by March 27, 2025 (with exceptions for travel up to June 2024)
  • Documented company contribution (2024-2025 funding or in-kind)

To Apply

Comments

  • Company definition includes for-profit and not-for-profit entities
  • Company contributions may be funds or in-kind*
  • Company contributions remain in the CI mentors home department (not the CI office)

*pending approval by the Gift Acceptance Committee

Corporate CI Projects

Ally Financial

Ally Financial

Technology may provide a more consistent and accurate method to hail damage assessment compared to traditional approaches using the skilled eye of an agent. To address this issue, Clemson University and Ally Financial have partnered in an effort to improve the process for these types of assessments.
Click here to view the article.

IBM Watson in the Watt

IBM Watson in the Watt

The Watt Family Innovation Center partnered with IBM in order to bring IBM’s artificial intelligence computer system named Watson to campus to explore AI use cases. The partnership resulted in the IBM Watson in the Watt Corporate Creative Inquiry project led by Dr. Hudson Smith and Dr. Kuang – Ching Wang.
Click here to view the article.

VF Corporation

VF Corporation

The VF Corporation, owner of some of the most popular shoe and clothing brands such as Lee Jeans, Vans and North Face, recognizes this need and partnered with Clemson’s Creative Inquiry program to sponsor a Corporate Creative Inquiry (CCI) led by Dr. Victor Zordan and Dr. Olga Kuksenok.
Click here to view the article.

Sonoco Fresh

Sonoco Fresh

The Zero Waste Event Planning for the Sonoco FRESH Summit Creative Inquiry project, led by Dave VanDeventer, Clemson University’s Solid Waste and Recycling Manager, and Dr. Deborah Falta from the Department of Public Health Sciences, is planning and implementing strategies to make the FRESH 2022 Food, Packaging & Sustainability Summit a zero waste event.
Click here to view the article.

Trulite

Trulite

As businesses expand, analyses of effective production, storage and transportation are essential. Trulite Glass and Aluminum Solutions posed a question to Clemson’s student researchers: What are the most efficient methods for delivering their main products, glass and aluminum panels, to construction sites and vendors with minimum breakage?
Click here to view the article.

Siemens

Siemens

While college students worry about finding their place in the business world, many corporations are just as concerned with incorporating recent graduates into their workforces. In order to learn the best way to integrate young professionals into the workplace, Siemens Corporation, an electronics and electrical engineering company, is asking Clemson University students to help.
Click here to view the article.

Tupperware

Tupperware

Since the company’s inception in 1946, Tupperware® has been renowned for its innovative plastic kitchenware design and production. Today, Tupperware® is continuing to revolutionize houseware with the help of Clemson students in the Tupperware® Corporate Creative Inquiry project.
Click here to view the article.

Creative Inquiry + Undergraduate Research
Creative Inquiry + Undergraduate Research | Watt Family Innovation Center 405 S. Palmetto Blvd, Suite 303 Clemson, SC 29634-5733