| Essential Duties and Responsibilities |
The
Office of Research and Innovation (
ORI) supports Appalachian State University research, scholarship and creative activities (
RSCA) with expertise in competitiveness, compliance, and innovative impacts. The
ORI builds capacity and fosters success for App State researchers throughout the
RSCA life-cycle, from ideation to real-world implications.
The Innovation in Practice Division of the
ORI is established to support intellectual property cultivation, protection and management, and to strategically build the capacity to grow and leverage innovations throughout the university for impact to students, staff, faculty and region.
The Director of Innovation in Practice will report directly to the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation (
VPRI), and is responsible for providing strategic and operational support to establish the Innovation in Practice Division of the
ORI, including the creation of IP and commercialization capabilities and management of critical research and innovation infrastructures such as the Blackburn Vannoy Estate. The Director of Innovation in Practice will work closely with the Office of Research and Innovation staff, and with guidance from the
VPRI liaise with a broad range of campus stakeholders as needed, and as described in more detail within essential duties and responsibilities:
Intellectual Property, Commercialization, and Tech Transfer - Capacity Building and Management
- Develop and manage commercialization and tech transfer support capabilities for the Office of Research and Innovation, working with the Office of General Counsel to establish university policies and procedures to advance entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development. This would include intellectual property management, IP Council management, commercialization activities, and other areas, as requested by the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation.
- Support and train App State researchers on entrepreneurship activities, including working on ideation, pitch competitions, the Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program, and coordinating liaison activities with NC Innovation and other innovation partners.
- Support the VPRI in advancing App State's innovation and commercialization efforts in line with App State's Strategic Plan for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities (RSCA), prioritizing existing and aspirational areas of excellence in research and creative activities and opportunities to build and leverage critical shared research infrastructures.
- Establish strong and effective networks across the university and with external partners to support strategic innovation support objectives for the ORI. Actively seek opportunities for collaboration with other units and contribute to building an engagement culture across the university. As delegated by the VPRI, these relationships are likely to include the Office of Advancement, Office of General Counsel, Facilities and Operations, and relevant advisors including Director of Corporate and Foundations Relations, Executive Director of Corporate and Community Engagement, Hickory, and Director of Special Projects.
- Foster innovation and entrepreneurship by strengthening government, business, and community partnerships, including economic development organizations, to benefit society by transforming university discoveries into solutions. Examples of key relationships this position will foster are with NC Innovation and NC IDEA.
- Shepherd intellectual property protection processes and guide faculty, staff, and at times students through these processes; supervise Tech Transfer and IP specialist within the ORI.
- Establish and document processes, procedures, and activity cycles of the innovation and entrepreneurship programming for faculty across campus.
- Consistently research and develop funding opportunities to support operations of the Innovation in Practice programming; manage and oversee the budgeting and financial operations of entrepreneurial activities including operational costs and licensure revenue.
Strategic Innovation Support in Areas of RSCA Excellence - Building and Managing Infrastructure
- Strengthen the physical innovation framework at the University with a specific focus on building and leveraging the Blackburn Vannoy Estate. The BVE is a 360-acre property in Fleetwood, NC that has been under Appalachian State University stewardship since 2010, in collaboration with the Blue Ridge Conservancy, which holds the conservation easement for the property. The property is a primarily forested area, with a historic farmhouse and other structures, as well as 35 acres of pasture, orchards, and cropland operating as the Goodnight Family Sustainable Development Teaching and Research Farm.
- The Director of Innovation in Practice will support the VPRI by managing decision processes, budgets, and personnel at the property, and building a strategic funding pathway to sustain the facilities, equipment, and physical infrastructure necessary to support and increase University-wide access to this core facility.
- This position will oversee the staff leaders of the Goodnight Family Sustainable Development farm, and will interact extensively with Facilities Management and with relevant department chairs and faculty that have RSCA, programmatic or curricular activities on the property.
- This position will be responsible for budgeting and management of operational expenses for the BVE and SD farm, and seeking and building pathways for financial sustainability through grants, awards, gifts, and revenue streams.
- Establish and document processes, procedures, communication pathways, and decision support for faculty and staff to propose efforts at the BVE (RSCA, curricular, external engagements) and gain access to this university-wide resource.
- With the BVE and potentially other critical infrastructures as an anchor, leverage the growing RSCA profile of the university to build up areas of excellence and tell the story of Appalachian State's strengths to attract researchers, funders, and national prominence.
- Ensure faculty, staff, and students can build areas of excellence by seeking funding for facilities, equipment, laboratories, and programmatic support. This position will interact with Research Institutes, Grants Resources and Services, and as appropriate the Office of Advancement to coordinate fundraising efforts.
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Appalachian State University
Nov 19, 2024