Winner! 
See the link below. From the article:
”UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi has received the 2026 Impact Innovations Award from Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS), a national organization dedicated to strengthening the societal benefits of research, for her leadership in making real-world impact a central part of the University’s research mission.
The award recognizes Bendapudi’s Penn State Presidential Strategic Initiative for Public Impact Research (PSI-PIR), an initiative that promotes research in partnership with government, businesses and communities, reinforcing the essential role of universities in serving the public good.
“Penn State’s Presidential Strategic Initiative for Public Impact Research represents exactly the kind of institutional leadership the Impact Funders Forum seeks to elevate,” said Angela Bednarek, director of scientific advancement at The Pew Charitable Trusts and chair of the Impact Funders Forum. “PSI-PIR moves beyond individual projects to redesign the systems that enable research to inform policy, practice and community outcomes. Through President Bendapudi’s leadership to bring together her peers and align internal incentives and national collaboration, Penn State is demonstrating how universities can operationalize research impact at scale.”
Since its launch, PSI-PIR, led by the Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative, has supported interdisciplinary teams across 11 Commonwealth Campuses, engaging more than 200 students in applied research addressing environmental sustainability, public health, workforce development, cybersecurity, education and public well-being.”
www.psu.edu
See? We are more than afootball wrestling school.
See the link below. From the article:
”UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi has received the 2026 Impact Innovations Award from Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS), a national organization dedicated to strengthening the societal benefits of research, for her leadership in making real-world impact a central part of the University’s research mission.
The award recognizes Bendapudi’s Penn State Presidential Strategic Initiative for Public Impact Research (PSI-PIR), an initiative that promotes research in partnership with government, businesses and communities, reinforcing the essential role of universities in serving the public good.
“Penn State’s Presidential Strategic Initiative for Public Impact Research represents exactly the kind of institutional leadership the Impact Funders Forum seeks to elevate,” said Angela Bednarek, director of scientific advancement at The Pew Charitable Trusts and chair of the Impact Funders Forum. “PSI-PIR moves beyond individual projects to redesign the systems that enable research to inform policy, practice and community outcomes. Through President Bendapudi’s leadership to bring together her peers and align internal incentives and national collaboration, Penn State is demonstrating how universities can operationalize research impact at scale.”
Since its launch, PSI-PIR, led by the Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative, has supported interdisciplinary teams across 11 Commonwealth Campuses, engaging more than 200 students in applied research addressing environmental sustainability, public health, workforce development, cybersecurity, education and public well-being.”
President Bendapudi receives national ARIS Impact Innovations Award for advancing public impact research | Penn State University
Neeli Bendapudi has received the 2026 Impact Innovations Award for her leadership in making real-world impact a central part of Penn State's research mission.
www.psu.edu
See? We are more than a
