Research Park, Intellectual Property Office Leadership Changes

May 22, 2000

University Park, Pa. --- Dr. Gary Weber, assistant vice president for research and director of technology transfer in the Office of the Vice President for Research at Penn State, has announced a restructuring of the Research Park and Intellectual Property Offices to enhance operating efficiency.

Karen L. Dickinson has been appointed director of the newly created Research Park Office and will lead all aspects of Research Park management and marketing activities. Previously, the Research Park management and marketing functions were part of the Industrial Research Office.?

Dickinson has led the Park’s marketing efforts for the last two years and was responsible for leasing the 50,000 square foot Lubert Building and attracting numerous tenants to the Park’s incubation and multi-tenant facilities, including the soon-to-be-constructed second multi-tenant facility. She joined the University in 1997 as associate director of prospect development for the Research Park and became managing director in 1998. Prior to joining the University she was a commercial lender at PNC Bank in State College and also had many years of experience in economic development.

Dr. Thomas J. Monahan, director of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), will change his focus to strategic intellectual property initiatives including venture financing, e-business methods, and new high-complexity agreements for large initiatives that promise to break new ground for the University. Recently, in one such large initiative, the University established a new company, called EIEICO, Inc., based on licenses to three patented Penn State agricultural inventions. The effort offers a new model for technology transfer in which related inventions are bundled into the same start-up company and offers those who invest in EIEICO a higher probability of seeing a winner. Monahan, who holds a J.D. as well as a Ph.D., joined the University in 1989 as director of intellectual property when Penn State began its internal patent and licensing management program.

Dr. Ronald J. Huss, associate director of the Intellectual Property Office, will assume responsibility for the day-to-day operation of IPO. He will also oversee the handling and licensing of inventions and negotiate licensing agreements.

In 1998, according to the Association of University Technology Managers report, the Penn State Intellectual Property Office filed 190 inventions disclosures, the first step in the patenting process, ranking Penn State second in Pennsylvania, third in the Big Ten and sixth among all U.S. universities. Prior to 1996, when he joined Penn State in the newly created IPO associate director position, Huss was director of business development at Bio-Technical Resources in Manitowoc, Wis. He holds a doctorate in biochemistry and was honored in 1994 with the Van Lanen Distinguished Service Award of the Biochemical Technology Division of the American Chemical Society.

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Contacts:

Barbara Hale (814) 865-9481 (o)/ (814) 238-0997 (h)

Vicki Fong (814) 865-9481 (o)/ (814) 238-1221 (h)