"Increase the competitiveness of manufacturers through applied technology and training."

That's the stated goal at RIT's Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies (CIMS). And on Tuesday, their work was validated with an award from a national nonprofit.

"It's good recognition for the hard work we've been doing," says CIMS assistant director of operations, Andy Harlan. "We do technology development and technology transfer. And all these efforts typically roll up into some type of economic development for the region."

CIMS was one of six organizations singled out by the State Scienece & Technology Institute, an Ohio-based nonprofit that supports tech-based initiatives for improving the economy.

CIMS does that by devising and implementing technology solutions at upstate manufacturing firms.

"We go in there and we help them with [their] problem set," says Harlan. "And in turn they create more jobs because they become more competitive."

Harlan says it's working. According to CIMS, the center has helped create 1,581 jobs since 2002.

RIT says CIMS has worked with companies such as GM, Delphi, Bausch + Lomb and Welch Allyn.