(518b) What Leaders In Chemical Engineering Education Should Know about Innovation

To realize the benefits of research and to translate technical excellence into value, universities will increasingly be called upon to be engines of innovation and commercialization. In spite of great progress in the past 3 decades, a strong case can be made that many universities are operating far below their potential in terms of creating intellectual property, fostering start-ups, and generating innovations that tangibly change the world. Several hidden factors may contribute to “innovation fatigue,” limiting the innovation potential of many schools. In this presentation, we identify several important factors and show how they can be addressed to create a culture and processes that enable innovation success. Topics include how to help your technology transfer office recognize and act on the potential of your programs, how to reduce barriers to collaboration with industry, and how to stimulate innovation across boundaries of disciplines. We also offer suggestions on how to strengthen innovation leadership in the education of students.