About Rolla

Located in the Missouri Ozarks, Rolla is the county seat of Phelps County. The community offers a vibrant mix of arts, culture, outdoor recreation, and higher education, with scenic rivers, forests, and parks surrounding the city.

Rolla and Phelps County have built a strong foundation in research, engineering, advanced manufacturing, and commercialization. The region is also positioned to play a growing national role in critical-minerals innovation, creating opportunities to connect research, workforce development, advanced manufacturing, and industry investment while strengthening the local economy.

Community Partners

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T)

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) serves as a major anchor for the region. A STEM-focused research university with more than 7,000 students, Missouri S&T is part of the four-campus University of Missouri System and offers more than 100 degree programs across 40 areas of study.

The university’s Kummer Institute and Kummer College of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development help connect research, student success, entrepreneurship, and regional development. Missouri S&T’s leadership in the Critical Minerals and Materials for Advanced Energy (CM2AE) Tech Hub, recently awarded a $38 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, further strengthens the region’s capacity to advance research, workforce development, and advanced manufacturing.

Facilities and programs including the Missouri Protoplex, Makers Studio, Missouri Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and NSF I-Corps provide pathways for prototyping, business development, industry collaboration, and moving research toward the marketplace.

Beyond the university, the region’s innovation ecosystem includes technology, healthcare, and manufacturing companies such as Brewer Science, MO-SCI, and ETS Wound Care, along with Phelps Health, technical education partners, industrial infrastructure, and other regional institutions supporting entrepreneurship, workforce development, and commercialization.

Explore our Network

Today, these local leaders are focused on educating and training local residents in digital skills (especially those traditionally excluded from the tech industry), employing them in new economy jobs, and empowering them to launch startups that will drive a prosperous 21st-century economy. Diverse in geography, economic origin, and demographics, these communities represent the full spectrum of rural America.

Explore the communities