An article in the March 2021 issue of Technology Transfer Tactics featured Rodney Priestley, Princeton's vice dean for innovation and Andrea Goldsmith, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, along with the heads of University offices that help bring research and discovery to broader audiences through innovation. 

The article looked back over the first year of Priestley's tenure as Vice Dean for Innovation, focusing on Priestley's vision for enhancing Princeton's regional and global impact through innovation, and highlighting some of the University's many accomplishments as it builds its innovation and entrepreneurship capacity.

Dean Goldsmith arrived at Princeton during Priestley’s first year, joining the University in September 2020 after 22 years on the Stanford faculty as an engineer and entrepreneur. Her experience includes founding multiple companies, including taking one public.

Over the past decade, the University has placed a growing emphasis on entrepreneurship as a way to enrich the impact of Princeton faculty, entrepreneurial alumni and students. Under the leadership of Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber, the University established the Princeton Entrepreneurship Council and bolstered the ability of its Office of Technology Licensing to assist University researchers in forming startup companies. 

Priestley, who assumed the role of Princeton's first-ever Vice Dean for Innovation in February 2020, dedicated the first year of his tenure to several key areas, including: bolstering entrepreneurial programming for faculty, students and alumni; expanding the University's external partnerships; developing the University's entrepreneurial culture; promoting awareness of Princeton innovation and entrepreneurship; and ensuring that diversity and inclusion be pillars of the University's innovation efforts.

New programs include the Princeton Startup Bootcamp powered by Techstars, a three-day venture acceleration course for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers; the Princeton Wharton Entrepreneurship Executive Education Program to help faculty understand the process of translating their research through startup ventures; and advising services offered through InteliSpark Consulting to help university spinouts obtain federal small business funding.

Another highlight of the past year was Princeton’s Engage 2020 conference, held online in November and featuring more than 190 speakers and 55 sessions on topics ranging from faculty-led inventions to entrepreneurial pitches. The three-day event attracted faculty; graduate students; postdoctoral researchers; representatives from industry and the entrepreneurial business community; federal, state and local government officials; alumni; and the general public.

Read the complete article at Tech Transfer Tactics.