LBJ professors receive 'Insight to Innovation' grant awards

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Published:
June 23, 2017
LBJ Professors Josh Busby (right) and David Eaton

June 23, 2017, AUSTIN, Texas—The IC2 Institute, an interdisciplinary unit in the Office of the Vice President for Research at The University of Texas at Austin, has awarded Professors Joshua Busby and David Eaton of the LBJ School of Public Affairs two of 11 grant awards in the amount of $25,000 each to continue global research.

The awards, called “Insight to Innovation” grants, provide seed research funds in the 2017–18 academic year to accelerate research around innovation and entrepreneurship in topics of key interest to the IC2 Institute.


Professor Busby's and Professor Eaton's academic contributions do much to advance the standing of the school, and this incredible honor is most deserved." —Dean Angela Evans

"It is quite impressive the LBJ School has received two of the 11 awards given the caliber of research across the university and our relatively small community of researchers," said Angela Evans, dean of the LBJ School. "Professor Busby's and Professor Eaton's academic contributions do much to advance the standing of the school, and this incredible honor is most deserved."

 

Busby: Solar Scale-up in India

Busby, whose research project is “The Prospects for Solar Scale-up in India,” will examine state-level variation in India in implementing solar power.

"I'm delighted to receive the support from the IC2 to continue research on the barriers to solar scale-up in India," Busby said. "India's renewables revolution will be critical to addressing the problem of climate change, and I hope my research will play a small part in helping that effort succeed."

This project builds upon previous research conducted by the Major Economies and Climate Change Research Group, spearheaded by Busby and supported by the Policy Research Institute at the LBJ School and the Dean's Office. Publications include peer-reviewed academic work on sectoral climate mitigation in India, as seen in Energy Research and Social Science, and several articles on the barriers to solar scale-up and natural gas in India for the Council on Foreign Relations.

Eaton: Rural Technology Entrepreneurship Abroad

Eaton, who was awarded $25,000 for the research project "Promoting Rural Technology Entrepreneurship Abroad: Lessons from Field Experiments in Japan and Nepal," will work with graduate students to study the opportunities and barriers to commercialization of innovative technology in the areas of housing, electric power and fuel production.

Eaton has collaborated with the IC2 Institute since 2014, conducting projects on entrepreneurship and commercialization of technology and development in Kenya, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal and China.

Research outcomes will include collaborative research publications and cutting-edge additions to IC2 Institute training programs. Fellow award recipients can be found here.

About the LBJ School

The LBJ School, one of the nation's top public affairs schools, makes a difference, not only within the walls of academia, but also in the public and social dialogue of the world. Contributing viable solutions to society is the LBJ School's legacy and its benchmark. Its effectiveness in channeling the purpose and passion of students into professional careers is evident in the success of more than 4,000 graduates who are the living legacy of President Johnson's bold and fearless action.

About the IC2 Institute

The IC2 Institute is an interdisciplinary research unit at The University of Texas at Austin which works to advance the theory and practice of entrepreneurial wealth creation.