Experiences from an NSF I/UCRC on Engineering Logistics and Distribution

The College of Engineering of the University of Oklahoma (OU) embarked on a journey to develop and maintain an I/UCRC (Industry/University Cooperative Research Center) for ten years under the guidance of the NSF (National Science Foundation) on the topic of Engineering Logistics and Distribution (CELDi). CELDi is a multi-university center of excellence promoting collaboration between faculty at various universities and technical professionals in their partner companies to solve logistics and distribution related problems. This paper presents the development, growth, and the graduation of OU's CELDi center from NSF's oversight. We also cite specific development projects, and get into the critical success factors for such centers in the United States. Return on University's investment in the center was 1,898%.