鈥淯ltimately, the difference between having real-world impact and having a cool thing that sits on a desk is: Can you get it into the hands of the consumer?鈥�听
For James Weimer, that question is central to his research and to his role in Vanderbilt鈥檚 growing Innovation Ambassadors program, led by the Vanderbilt Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization.听
The initiative trains faculty ambassadors across Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center to help colleagues navigate innovation, intellectual听property听and ways to move research beyond the lab.听听
For researchers navigating those processes for the first time, the program is designed to听provide them with听quick guidance and peer support for all their innovation and entrepreneurship needs.听
Weimer, who is an innovation ambassador within the College of Connected Computing and the School of Engineering, focuses his research on artificial intelligence and mobility systems.听
Moving discoveries toward real-world impact, he said, 鈥渞equires going beyond just research in a lab and actually doing tech transfer and innovation.鈥澨�听
New videos听featuring Weimer and fellow ambassador Alyssa Wise, Margaret Cowan Chair at Peabody College and the director of LIVE Learning Innovation Incubator,听highlight the collaborative culture behind the program and the range of research taking place across Vanderbilt and VUMC.听
Wise听said she was drawn to Vanderbilt because 鈥減eople actually work across disciplines.鈥�听
At LIVE, researchers combine听expertise听in computation,听pedagogy听and learning science to develop educational technology for real-world applications. Wise said听the innovation ambassadors听help faculty better understand how collaborative research can move beyond the university and into broader use.听
鈥淭he goal is to make the process more transparent, achievable and easy to get started for faculty who are interested in bringing their innovations to the world,鈥� Wise said.听
Weimer sees the ambassador role through the lens of real-world impact.听鈥淓very day I have the opportunity to save a life,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat Vanderbilt offers is the opportunity to take risks.鈥�听
He encourages听his fellow听researchers to engage with CTTC early in the research process to better understand how discoveries may translate beyond the lab.听
Since launching in 2022, the Vanderbilt Innovation Ambassadors program has grown into a national model for peer-led innovation support, with universities across the country implementing their own ambassador programs.听
The听Vanderbilt program听is听run听through the CTTC by Phil Swaney and Carlos Detr茅s-Rom谩n, who work closely with ambassadors across campus to connect faculty with commercialization resources.听听
Faculty interested in connecting with an ambassador can explore听, which includes new ambassadors from Cell & Developmental Biology, Radiology, Mechanical Engineering, Radiation Oncology, and Engineering Science and Management. 听听听
鈥淗aving those conversations early on is something that can really help shape how your research will have impact years down the road,鈥澨齏eimer听said.听
About the CTTC
Vanderbilt Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization鈥檚 mission is to provide professional commercialization services to the Vanderbilt鈥�community, thus听optimizing听the flow of innovation to the marketplace and鈥�generating revenue that supports future research鈥�activities, while having a positive impact on society. It is a conduit for the transfer of promising Vanderbilt technologies to industry; it contributes to regional economic development by licensing locally and supporting new venture creation; and it encourages greater collaboration between academia and industry.听
