About
The Virginia Tech Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology
“At ICAT, we foster creative collaboration.”
The Virginia Tech Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) connects innovative minds across disciplines to tackle big challenges and unlock creative potential. By bringing together faculty and students from diverse academic backgrounds, ICAT addresses societal issues, industry challenges, and pushes the boundaries of artistic expression.
Leveraging cutting-edge technology and a collaborative network of scholars, ICAT fosters groundbreaking research and supports the work of faculty and students in various fields.
Mission
We empower teams with state-of-the-art facilities, expert knowledge, and seed funding to tackle grand challenges and explore creative possibilities. From addressing societal issues to advancing organizational projects and pushing the limits of artistic expression, we’re at the forefront of innovation.
Vision
We aspire to be a dynamic fellowship of artists, designers, engineers, humanists, and scientists, united in a living laboratory that champions human-centered creativity. Through inclusion, co-creation, innovation, critical reflection, and iteration, we exemplify the creative process. Our growth and impact thrive on partnerships with organizations both regionally and globally.
Structure
We are one of the four investment institutes at Virginia Tech. We support faculty and students across all colleges. We synergistically partnered with the Center for the Arts to create a combined initiative that is unique in its scope and impact.
Team
Our team is the foundation of everything we achieve at ICAT. Without them, none of our success would be possible.
Advisory Board
Industry experts from outside academia, not affiliated with faculty, who collaborate with us as valued partners.
Senior Fellows
Senior Fellows, often new faculty members, help manage ICAT. One of their key roles is reviewing the SEAD grant proposals we fund annually.
ICAT Fellows
They constitute a community of interdisciplinary fellows and researchers at Virginia Tech.
Target Audience
Our target audience comprises Virginia Tech faculty and students, national and international researchers and scholars, local, regional, and national media outlets, and visiting artists—all united by a strong interest in interdisciplinary research at the crossroads of science, engineering, art, technology, and design.
Research Areas
Advances in technology are changing the ways we work. From the aesthetics, and functionality to the ways we collaborate, these projects focus on efficiency, productivity, and value. Read more
Science should be available to everyone. Research shouldn’t be hidden in labs and buried on computer hard drives. Read more
Immersive technologies are changing the research landscape. These projects use visual design, 3D modeling, animation, programming, motion capture integration, and true 360-degree sound. Read more
Connecting people separated by distance. With the propagation of COVID-19, what was once a matter of convenience is now a requirement. Read more
Art and technology continually define and redefine our world. Art provides a powerful lens for viewing the world and opens up the possibilities to traverse domains, often in the most unexpected ways. Read more
Pioneering new possibilities with data. As our data-filled world continues to expand it becomes increasingly difficult to manage and make sense of the overwhelming amounts of information. Read more
Creativity that spurs change. This work supports our ecological and cultural resilience. Thoughtful environmental design means a better world for us all. Read more
A new blueprint for the future of learning. We’re creating educational environments that prepare students to confidently enter a world requiring creativity, adaptability, and collaboration. Read more
You can get involved
There are many ways to get involved with ICAT. We offer opportunities for students, faculty, donors, and corporate partners.
Partnering with ICAT gives your company unmatched access to university experts to explore innovative ideas and solutions. We help businesses of all sizes test ideas in a low-risk, cost-effective way, tailoring our services to fit your budget, timeline, and goals.
We help companies of all sizes explore ideas with minimal risk and cost, tailoring our services to fit your budget, timeline, and desired outcomes.
ICAT bridges academics and research, offering opportunities to explore new ideas, collaborate on interdisciplinary teams with students and faculty, secure funding for research projects, and gain hands-on, cutting-edge experiences beyond the classroom.
We create opportunities for Virginia Tech faculty to explore new areas of transdisciplinary research, forge new partnerships, and break through disciplinary boundaries. Faculty members can engage with ICAT in many ways, from collaborating on projects to securing funding and support for groundbreaking research.
Contact Us
190 Alumni Mall, Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-1318 | icat@vt.edu