Charlotte Research Institute
UNC Charlotte specializes in problem-driven, interdisciplinary applied research. The Charlotte Research Institute is the portal for business-university partnerships at UNC Charlotte. Locally, CRI works in the community to accelerate the growth of small businesses and university start-ups. Globally, CRI develops intellectual capital through collaborations with industry, government and academia. New business and research ventures, university partnerships with regional and national enterprises, and CRI spin-off companies all draw research and businesses to the region and spur economic growth.
Science and engineering ventures at CRI are driven by the internationally known results of its research centers in Precision Metrology, eBusiness Technology and Optoelectronics. CRI’s research vision continues to grow as emerging research initiatives, including bioinformatics, biomedical engineering systems and translational research, develop at UNC Charlotte. With facilities housed in three new custom-designed buildings on the Charlotte Research Institute Campus, CRI helps companies initiate new partnerships at UNC Charlotte and offers a variety of opportunities to engage talented faculty and make use of specialized resources available only at UNC Charlotte.
Dr. Robert Wilhelm, Vice Chancellor, Research and Economic Development; Executive Director, Charlotte Research Institute; and Professor of Mechanical Engineering & Engineering Science 
An experienced educator, researcher, engineer and businessman, Dr. Robert G. Wilhelm provides executive and administrative leadership for the Charlotte Research Institute (CRI), UNC Charlotte’s portal for business-university science and technology partnerships. Dr. Wilhelm is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science in the William States Lee College of Engineering. Dr. Wilhelm has wide experience in both academic and business circles. At UNC Charlotte since 1993, Dr. Wilhelm was a founding faculty member for PhD programs in Mechanical Engineering, Biotechnology, Information Technology and Nanoscience. He served on the committees to form the School of Computing and Informatics and the PhD program in Optical Sciences and Engineering. Before coming to Charlotte, Dr. Wilhelm worked at the Palo Alto Laboratory of Rockwell Science Center and at Cincinnati Milacron. He cofounded a high-technology manufacturing company, OpSource, Inc., in 2001.
Dr. Wilhelm holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Wichita State University, a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University, and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
For more information, please visit www.charlotteresearchinstitute.com
Clare Cook Faggart, Life Science Program Manager
clarefaggart@uncc.edu
Charlotte Research Institute
201 Oak Avenue
Kannapolis, North Carolina 28081
(704) 934-4003