Madden and Fossum to Head Research, Tech Transfer Efforts

Leading biomed and technology developers will support and promote innovative research.

Professors Dean Madden, left, and Eric Fossum have been appointed to lead key elements of Dartmouth’s research and enterprise work. (Photos by Eli Burakian ’00 and Joshua Renaud ’17)

Provost Carolyn Dever has named biochemistry and cell biology professor Dean Madden and engineering professor Eric Fossum to lead key elements of Dartmouth’s research and enterprise efforts.

Madden will transition into the post of vice provost for research, working with current Senior Vice Provost Martin Wybourne until July 1. Fossum takes over Jan. 1 as associate provost for the Office of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer (OETT), following Professor Tillman Gerngross, who served three years in the position.

“Dartmouth is very fortunate to have two such dynamic scholars and teachers to advance research and support the development of pathbreaking new work across all the disciplines at Dartmouth,” says Dever. “Dean Madden and Eric Fossum are well equipped to enrich the Dartmouth research mission and to move innovations from the academy to the wider world.”

Gerngross, a professor of engineering at Thayer School of Engineering, returned to his biotechnology start-ups, teaching, and research in July. During his tenure as associate provost, Gerngross brought his perspective as an entrepreneur and innovator to his leadership of the OETT. ...

... In his new post, Fossum will oversee the DEN Innovation Center and its staff as well as the Office of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer. He credits Gerngross and Trip Davis ’90, former executive director of the OETT, with building a talented and successful team and creating the conditions to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship.

“They have forged a new, alternative path for faculty to pursue start-ups from their research activity. In addition to providing administrative oversight for ongoing activities, further development of a long-range vision and strategy for entrepreneurship and technology transfer will be a focus of our work,” Fossum says. “Guiding faculty colleagues in the area of entrepreneurial thinking for themselves, our students, our community, and our country’s future is important to me,” he says.

Fossum, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, has led breakthrough research on solid-state image sensors, has been CEO of two successful high tech companies, was named by the American Association for the Advancement of Science as an AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassador, and is the director of the PhD innovation program at Thayer.

Both Fossum and Madden will continue to teach and to pursue their research while serving four-year appointments in the provost’s office.