Most of America hears the name FedEx and thinks of overnight packages and speedy delivery service. But in Tennessee, there’s another association that may ultimately make a much bigger impact on American society.

The FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis is making a name for itself in all sorts of cutting-edge research, from nanotechnology to robotics to artificial intelli­gence. One of the cornerstones of this high-tech think tank is its emphasis on collaboration with the business community; partnerships are designed to develop new technologies that bring innovation into real-world applications.

The state’s involvement in the Advanced Distributive Learning Workforce Co-Lab is one example, but there are dozens of others. Research centers now under way include the Center for Applied Spatial Analysis, the Center for Earthquake Research and Information, the W. Harry Feinstone Center for Genomic Research, the FedEx Center for Supply Chain Management and the intriguingly named Institute for Intelligent Systems – to name just a few examples.

Robots are in development that could change the future of logistics and freight-yard management; other research in the field of plastics aims at turning today’s refuse and landfill into new products.

The institute is home to more than 150 faculty members, staffers and researchers, recognized nationally and internationally for their work. But the majority of the center’s work revolves around working relationships with major corporations, non-profits and sister research organizations.

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FedEx Institute of Technology
fedex.memphis.edu