Bowlus is director of the Jacobson Institute at the University of Iowa, a nationally recognized program built around teacher education, innovative curricula, and outreach that enriches K-12 students' lives. The Institute supports the university's broader economic development efforts by providing educators with professional development and curriculum resources, equipping them to teach the "entrepreneurial mindset," that is, to encourage creativity, innovation, invention, critical thinking and problem solving, and to prepare students for success in their chosen career path. The Jacobson Institute bridges connections between STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and economic development. Through a research-driven approach as well as strategic collaborations with state and national organizations, the Jacobson Institute helps create an entrepreneurial culture that enhances economic development of the region, state and nation.