John Sibley Butler, director of the IC2 Institute at The University of Texas at Austin, and the Kelleher Center for Entrepreneurship at McCombs School of Business, will welcome 32 Fulbright foreign students from June 1 to 4, for a seminar on translating scientific discovery into economic and social progress.
As a host for the “From Lab to Market” seminar, Butler believes it is essential for Fulbright students to be aware of how technological advances in engineering, computer and information sciences can support achievements in a variety of endeavors.
“We want these young scholars to understand the economic realities behind the science, and to understand how to successfully move ideas into the marketplace,” he said. “That includes the principles of wealth creation, which cross all disciplines.”
Butler is a board member of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Also hosting the Austin visit is board member Shirley Greene, former director of correspondence and constituent services in the Office of the Governor of Texas.
Speakers at the event will include Raymond Lee Orbach, director of the Energy Institute at The University of Texas at Austin, and Gary Hoover, entrepreneur-in-residence with the Kelleher Center. In addition, the students will be visiting local businesses, including Sand Hill Energy Center and Imagine Solar.
“These outstanding Fulbright students represent shining lights of opportunity for the nations and communities in which they live. Our hope is to bring them into contact with a broad range of viewpoints and expertise from across the university and the Austin innovation community,” said University President William Powers Jr.
“From Lab to Market” is a Fulbright Enrichment Seminar sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and is organized by the Institute of International Education. The students are among more than 3,000 visiting students studying at the graduate level at U.S. colleges and universities under the Fulbright Program, sponsored by ECA.
Reporters are invited to interview some of the Fulbright foreign students, as well as some of the experts who will make presentations at the seminars. The following events are open to the press, and additional one-on-one interviews can be arranged on request, at the seminar or at a media location.
Press attendance is by RSVP only.
Tuesday, June 1
7:15 p.m. Opening keynote: Raymond Lee Orbach, director, Energy Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, a multi-disciplinary institute that combines the strengths of the university’s schools and colleges to advance solutions to today’s energy-related challenges.
Wednesday, June 2
9:30 a.m. Science, Technology and Innovation for Public Good
Speakers include prominent academics and entrepreneurs, including, Laura Kilcrease, managing director, Triton Ventures, LLC, a venture capital fund investing in spinout and early-stage technology companies. With more than 25 years of experience in commercializing technology, Kilcrease has a deep understanding of how to cultivate new opportunities to “grow businesses around businesses” as well as how to deconstruct and reconstruct business models to achieve significant results.
Thursday, June 3
9 a.m. New Technologies for Environment and Energy
Prominent academics and entrepreneurs on this panel include William T. Ott, chief executive officer, ActaCell, which he co-founded in 2007 to commercialize next generation Li-Ion battery chemistries developed in Professor Ram Manthiram’s laboratory in The University of Texas at Austin material sciences program. ActaCell was formed specifically to focus on commercializing these breakthrough technologies in the emerging motive energy storage market.
11:30 a.m. Fulbright student panel discussions on Scientific Innovations for Social Needs
Selected foreign Fulbright students will give presentations on how to address global social needs through innovative solutions.
Friday, June 4
8 p.m. Closing remarks: Alina Romanowski, deputy assistant secretary for academic programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Government and has provided about 300,000 participants — chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns
