The NSF ADVANCE Partnership: New Jersey Equity in Commercialization Collective is pleased to announce the formation of a 10-person Advisory Board to provide input and feedback on the strategic direction and progress of the project initiatives. The NJECC advisory board is composed of distinguished experts with strong backgrounds in research and development, as well as technology commercialization and entrepreneurship.

The NSF ADVANCE Partnership NJECC aims to address the significant equity issues in academic technology commercialization (patenting, licensing, and startup creation) by focusing on the elimination of systemic institutional and entrepreneurial ecosystem barriers. To achieve systemic change, the project is leveraging a robust partnership of organizations across the state of New Jersey. The NJECC is led by New Jersey Institute of Technology in collaboration with the NJ Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology; NJEdge (NJ’s non-profit technology solutions provider and member-driven consortium); New Jersey City University; Princeton University; Rowan University; Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; Seton Hall University; Stevens Institute of Technology; and St. Peter’s University. Working together, the NJECC project partners aim to significantly increase the diversity of STEM faculty researchers who participate in New Jersey’s entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. 

The Advisory Board is composed of experts from both industry and academia who, along with their deep expertise, have a commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. The specialized expertise of the advisory board membership augments the expertise of the NJECC project team and members of the NJECC partner institutions. These community leaders in innovation, diversity, and inclusion will provide critical oversight during the design, implementation, and deployment of NJECC and serve as ambassadors for the NJECC project in the community, connecting the NJECC to a greater constituency. 

Members of the NJECC Advisory Board include: Brian Bridges, PhD, Secretary of Higher Education, the State of New Jersey; Debbie Hart, President & CEO, BioNJ; Laura Huang, PhD, Associate Professor, Harvard Business School; Jill Johnson, CEO, Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL); Mary Juhas, PhD, FASM, Professor Emerita, Ohio State University and Co-chair, Government Engagement Working Group, Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (NSF ERVA); Kirsten Leute, Partner, University Relations, Osage Partners; Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE, Dean, College of Engineering, Villanova University; Aaron Price, President & CEO, TechUnited:NJ; Avis Yates Rivers, CEO, Technology Concept Group International; and Andrew Toole, PhD, Chief Economist, USPTO. 

“On behalf of the NJECC leadership team, including Co-PI’s and senior members, we welcome the advisory board members and look forward to working together to advance the objectives of the NJECC.” – Treena Livingston Arinzeh, PhD, NJECC PI, Distinguished Professor, Biomedical Engineering, NJIT