Four distinguished researchers with experience at West Virginia University’s peer institutions will share stories of their successful experiences in the world of invention and commercialization with a WVU audience during a special forum dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship.

The forum, titled the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, is set for 4:30-6 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 10) in the Rhododendron Room of the WVU Mountainlair. The Forum is being hosted by WVU’s innovation initiative known as Linking Innovation, Industry and Commercialization, or LIINC – a project funded through a grant to the WVU Office of Research and Economic Development from the Benedum Foundation.

The Forum is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

Lindsay Emery, business development manager with LIINC, said the program is focused on providing external insights on research, innovation, entrepreneurship and how to balance all three in an academic institution.

“Each of our guests will be speaking about their particular experiences in collaborating as researchers with industries; balancing university research responsibilities with entrepreneurial pursuits; and obstacles and recommendations for WVU faculty interested in pursuing innovation and commercialization in their own work,” she said.

The four speakers who will appear at the Forum and offer short presentations before accepting questions from the audience are:

  • Dr. Jennie Hunter-Cevera, a member of WVU’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni who has worked extensively in the biotechnology field.
  • Dr. Skip Garner and Ms. Kim Menier, both of the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech.
  • Dr. Stephen Valentine, a recent addition to the WVU Department of Chemistry from the University of Indiana.

-WVU-

gg/10/09/12

CONTACT: Lindsay Emery, WVU Research Corp.
304.293.0391, Lindsay.Emery@mail.wvu.edu

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