IALR at a Glance April 2024 Newsletter

A systems approach to improve community health, the Regional Engagement to Advance Community Health (REACH) Partnership brings disparate and siloed health providers together, deploying coordinated care teams to reduce avoidable emergency department and hospital use and address chronic disease and health factors.

“IALR is a convener and a connector. The REACH Partnership is a showcase of our goal to bring together seemingly separate or disparate organizations to drive economic transformation through healthy and vibrant communities.” – Dr. Julie Brown, Vice President of Advanced Learning, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR)

Approximately 76 middle school students from eight school divisions across the Commonwealth participated in the 2024 GO TEC® VEX IQ Robotics Competition hosted at IALR on March 28. Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers (GO TEC) is a progressive, hands-on talent development program administered by IALR.

"It is so rewarding to see students take what they are learning in their GO TEC courses and apply it in an entertaining, competitive way." - Jacob Taylor, GO TEC Technical and Training Manager

The Institute Conference Center (ICC) hosted God’s Pit Crew’s annual Benefit Banquet, a three-day event with approximately 1,500 participants.
Seventy-five students from the Piedmont Governor’s School for Mathematics, Science and Technology toured the research labs and facilities at IALR on March 27.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company donated two replacement tag axle tires to the GO TEC® program for the GO TEC Mobile Lab.
The Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program hosted a career fair, allowing employers to meet, interview and even hire job-seeking ATDM students. IALR hosts and leads ATDM in collaboration with partners.
This month, the Wonder Community of Lifelong Learning celebrated partnerships with outside collaborators for three out of four March workshops. Members ended the three-part series with the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce for the Smart Seminars Unlocking the Power of AI for Small Business Success. Members created two-layer heat transfer designs for St. Patrick's Day in the next workshop. Traveling up the road, members visited partners at the New College Institute for a Cricut cardmaking workshop. Lastly, the month ended with Chef John Clark at Megabytes café for an Easter Meal Sides workshop, where members made scones, salad, cupcakes, potatoes and asparagus bundles.

Working part-time as Undergraduate Research Technicians in the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation Center, Jacob Haymore (a student at Danville Community College) and Cameron Dallas (a student at Averett University) have gained valuable experience and supported vital research projects.

“Bringing students into this ecosystem for impactful employment opportunities fits the mission of the CEA Innovation Center and will contribute to the growth of the CEA workforce.” – Dr. Scott Lowman, Vice President, Applied Research at IALR and Co-Director of the CEA Innovation Center

On April 10, the Southern Virginia Regional Procurement Fair, organized by the City of Danville, will provide an opportunity for local businesses to meet with government and private-sector buyers of supplies or services.

Sign up for an inside look into what happens at IALR with an upcoming tour. Get an overview of IALR’s work on April 9 or take a deep dive into the manufacturing workforce and technology programs on May 7.

Gain foundational skills in Microsoft Excel or Canva with one of IALR’s upcoming computer workshops, including an Excel class on April 9, a Canva class on April 25 and another Excel class on May 14.