Published: ​​September 14, 2017 ​
It’s a move that’s designed to broaden the University’s research capacity, facilitate research partnerships, and interact more directly with all parts of the region’s innovation ecosystem.
Nick Markettos, currently McMaster’s assistant vice-president, research partnerships, will expand his role and will now serve as Assistant Vice-President Research – Innovation & Partnerships. In this new capacity, he will continue to develop and nurture partnerships among industry and government collaborators, but he’ll also be responsible for coordinating relationships with our innovation partners, says Rob Baker, vice-president, research.
“This expanded role will enhance our ability to engage with these partners in a more strategic and purposeful way,” says Rob Baker, who is also Chair of the Board of Directors of the McMaster Innovation Park (MIP), where Nick will now be located.
“Having Nick on-site, with the McMaster Industry Liaison Office (MILO) and the Forge already there, sends a strong message about our commitment to innovation and MIP’s mandate to align with and leverage the research strengths at McMaster, ensuring we capitalize on our research for economic and social development,” says Baker, adding this direct liaison will translate into greater opportunities for our researchers, students and our external industry and government partners.
Markettos, who led the development of MIP – from its inception straight through to the creation of the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) and the Fraunhofer Project Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (BEAM), which will be completed at year’s end – is looking forward to the opportunities his new location will provide.
“Seeing is believing,” says Markettos, in reference to being on-site, and meeting with researchers and potential government and industry collaborators at MIP. “There’s definitely a growing excitement at MIP that comes with seeing research and innovation in action – strengthening and diversifying our economy – and I’m keen to broaden that experience for the research community and to build synergies to create further opportunities.”
In addition to his AVPR – IP responsibilities, Markettos is the acting director of the McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics and serves on the Boards of the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging, the Centre for Probe Development and Commercialization and the Innovation Factory (Hamilton’s Regional Innovation Centre).
