A reusable crash barrier developed by UMR Chancellor John F. Carney has made an impact on highway safety over the years. Now, the chancellor's invention is being cited as an example of university research that helps make the world a better place.

The chancellor's cylindrical crash cushions -- like the ones pictured here, at a St. Louis exit ramp -- are among the 100 university research projects described in The Better World Report, Part Two: Technology Transfer Works: 100 Innovations from Academic Research to Real-World Application.

The report is published by the Better World Project, an undertaking of the non-profit Association of University Technology Managers. Released in April, the report "shows how technology transfer -- the process of licensing and commercializing academic research -- improves people’s lives, contributes to the economy and supports tomorrow's discoveries,” says AUTM President John Fraser.

Carney's work also caught the notice of The Kansas City Star, which reported on the citation over the weekend.