The Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) this week announced a collaboration with the University of Louisville (UL) on research that will enhance travelers’ experience and airport operations through innovation.
The agreement, the first of its kind for SDF, will allow the airport campus – including all facilities, the terminal and airfield – to serve as an innovation lab for UL-led research projects and university faculty, students and airport staff will work together to identify opportunities for both technological and process improvements.
“U-of-L is a world-class research university, and we are excited to establish this partnership with such a prominent institution in our community,” said Dan Mann, executive director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority. “We strive every day to be the best airport in the country. This collaboration is another element in making that a reality.”
This summer UL will begin identifying possible projects and university researchers specializing in everything from engineering to business will look for solutions that can be implemented both at SDF and across the airport and aviation industry. Examples might include developing runway surfaces with extended lifecycles or improving the efficiency of airport terminal operations and passenger movement through technology.
“The thought of the entire airport campus as an innovation lab, is a concept I have explored for a while,” said Darrell Watson, vice president of strategy and innovation for the Airport Authority. “SDF can be the launching point of ideas and concepts that may potentially be game-changers in the airport industry.”
