“Grace” Jinliu Wang was named Ohio State’s first executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge enterprise. | Credit: Lantern file photo
Ohio State has a new position and someone to fill it: “Grace” Jinliu Wang was named the first executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge enterprise Friday, according to a university press release.
University President Kristina M. Johnson created the role to foster a more “agile and efficient” way to expand research at Ohio State, using findings to benefit the community at large, the release stated. Wang will be the first to serve in the new position.
“Grace is a proven executive who will spearhead our efforts to grow the research enterprise and accelerate the translation of novel technologies into the marketplace by leveraging our existing strengths in research, innovation, corporate partnerships and entrepreneurship,” Johnson said in the release.
Wang will combine existing offices and programs into one body, including the Office of Research, Corporate Engagement and Technology Commercialization Offices, the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship and the West Campus Innovation District. She will also work with state and federal government, industry, non-profit institutions and national labs, according to the release.
“Grace” Jinliu Wang. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State
Wang recently served as senior vice chancellor for research and economic development at the State University of New York System, where she also served as interim president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute.
She is a professor at the University of Buffalo and council member at the Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. She has also been appointed to the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee by the U.S. Department of Energy, according to the release.
She has previously worked for the National Science Foundation and holds seven U.S. patents, according to the release.
“I am thoroughly impressed by the strengths and capacities in Ohio State’s existing research and creative expression, which provide a strong foundation on which to build,” Wang said in the release. “We have an opportunity to leverage this research to help address some of the most pressing societal challenges and drive economic growth.”
Wang will begin her role Dec. 1.
