Barron tapped for new post

Barron tapped for new post

BY JADE BOYD
Rice News staff

Andrew Barron has been appointed associate dean for industry interactions and technology transfer in the Wiess School of Natural Sciences at Rice University.

Andrew Barron

Barron, the Charles W. Duncan Jr.-Welch Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science, is tasked with three primary goals: increasing industry awareness of the school, its faculty and its students; increasing industry-sponsored research within the school; and promoting and fostering technology transfer.

“Professor Barron will be a conduit both for corporations and small companies that want to contact natural sciences faculty and for faculty who wish to pursue industrial relationships,” said Kathleen Matthews, dean of natural sciences and the Stewart Memorial Professor of Biochemistry. “He will also help guide faculty through the complex technology-transfer process, particularly those who have not previously sailed in those waters.

“With his experience across a broad range of industry interactions and technology transfer, Professor Barron brings information and expertise that will help faculty at a time federal and state funding for research is diminishing.”

Barron said one of his first tasks will be conducting a comprehensive review of ongoing research at the school to identify both immediate and long-term opportunities for collaboration and technology transfer. He’ll also coordinate with the directors of Rice’s academic institutes and centers, with industrial relations personnel in other Rice divisions and with officials in the development and technology-transfer offices.

“Rice’s proximity to Houston’s energy and chemical industries and to the Texas Medical Center present the university with unique opportunities to partner with industry,” Barron said. “Rice has always been willing to partner with industry, but we need to do more, especially in the area of increasing our visibility and informing potential partners about what we have to offer.”