Wilbur Lam, professor and W. Paul Bowers Research Chair in the Department of Pediatrics and the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Emory University and Georgia Tech, has been named Emory’s inaugural vice provost for entrepreneurship. The appointment, effective this month, was announced by Ravi V. Bellamkonda, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.
In this new, part-time role, Lam will foster a vibrant startup culture among Emory students, working through The Hatchery and other units to expand programming and mentorship for students eager to translate their ideas into marketable products and services.
An experienced entrepreneur himself, Lam will also partner with leaders, schools and units across Emory to create better-defined, integrated pathways for faculty and student entrepreneurship. Additionally, he will expand the work of Emory Innovations Inc., a holding company of select portfolio companies and initiatives designed to assist faculty in moving rigorously vetted discoveries and inventions to a market-ready stage.
“Supporting innovation and entrepreneurship is a priority for President Gregory L. Fenves and Emory’s leadership team across the enterprise,” says Bellamkonda. “As vice provost for entrepreneurship, Wilbur will help elevate Emory as a leader in this arena, working with our deans and other leaders to nurture an environment where transformative ideas thrive and entrepreneurial pursuits flourish.
“By building synergies across the university to create a more intentional pipeline for delivering innovations to society, I am confident that we will empower many more students and faculty to effectively pursue their entrepreneurial ideas.”
Entrepreneurship is directly tied to Emory’s mission of creating and applying knowledge in the service of humanity, Bellamkonda noted, and the new role builds on the university’s strong reputation as an incubator for world-changing ideas and inventions.
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