'Effective leadership': Director of innovation and entrepreneurship appointed
Dr. Paula Mendon莽a has been appointed as 果酱视频鈥檚 first director of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Mendon莽a is responsible for facilitating and supporting the university鈥檚 strategic and long-term approach to advancing innovation and entrepreneurship activities across its campuses, while interacting with regional and national partners. She began on Dec. 18.
In her role, Dr. Mendon莽a will also lead the operations of 果酱视频鈥檚 Technology Transfer and Commercialization Office (TTCO). The position of the director of TTCO has been re-titled to director of innovation and entrepreneurship to reflect the broader mandate of the new role.
Dr. Mendon莽a will report to Dr. Neil Bose, vice-president (research) and work with a variety of stakeholders across the university and from the wider community.
Since October 2018 Dr. Mendon莽a has been interim director of TTCO. The office, which is a member of the network, supports industrial liaison, technology transfer and commercialization activities at 果酱视频.
Its staff works with the university community to identify resources and facilitate connections with other partners from within the university as well as industry.
鈥楾remendous assets鈥
As Newfoundland and Labrador鈥檚 university, 果酱视频 plays a vital role in driving innovation, supporting our next generation of business leaders and ensuring our entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to flourish, says Dr. Bose.
鈥淚 am very happy to see Dr. Mendon莽a take on this new position, bringing her diverse background, international outlook, knowledge of the intellectual property environment and her entrepreneurial knowledge to the role,鈥 he said.
鈥淗er effective leadership and strong partnerships within our university and the broader community are tremendous assets. I know she will strengthen 果酱视频鈥檚 entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem and build the mission of the research portfolio well beyond those of the existing Technology Transfer and Commercialization Office compliance framework.鈥
As director of innovation and entrepreneurship, Dr. Mendon莽a will identify new partnership opportunities, as well as establish and maintain effective relationships with industry, government and other key external stakeholders.
Dr. Mendon莽a, who will also be key contributor to 果酱视频鈥檚 Innovation Steering Committee, is also playing a lead role in a new pilot program that will teach academics how to recognize the commercial potential of their research. Later this year, 果酱视频 will host , a new pan-Canadian program based on successful programs in the U.K. and the U.S. that will focus on ocean technology-related research.
果酱视频 alumna
Originally from Lisbon, Portugal, Dr. Mendon莽a completed her undergraduate degree with honours in marine biology and fisheries from the University of Algarve. She has lived in Newfoundland and Labrador since 2002 and obtained a PhD in biology from 果酱视频.
Dr. Mendon莽a has been working in intellectual property and technology transfer for more than 10 years, first with Genesis and then with 果酱视频 upon the integration of Genesis research into the Office of the Vice-President (Research).
Jeff Green is a senior communications advisor with the Office of the Vice-President (Research). He can be reached at jeffg@mun.ca.