Robin Rasor, who is currently head of licensing for faculty and student discovery technology at the University of Michigan, will take a similar position at Duke University as of July 1.
The announcement of Rasor as director of Duke’s Office of Licensing and Ventures was made Monday.
“Her tremendous experience and success at Michigan bodes well for the future of tech transfer and translation here at Duke,” Vice Provost Eric Toone, who directs the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative at Duke, said in a statement. “All of us in I&E look forward to working with Robin and to building a strong, seamless, effective relationship with Robin and her team.”
Rasor will head efforts to help faculty and students patent and license their discoveries and possible start forming a spin-off venture.
“The goal is to put Duke’s licensing efforts on par with its excellence in research and so many other areas,” Rasor said. “When people think about startups and licensing and efficient technology transfer, I want Duke to also be on the tip of their tongues.”
Rasor’s office at the University of Michigan reached 164 licensing agreements and was awarded 159 patents in the 2015 fiscal year.
Rasor replaces interim director Barry Myers.
Rose Ritts, who led Duke’s Office of Licensing and Ventures from 2006 to 2015, left Duke last year to become executive vice president of innovation at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Rasor’s resume
“Rasor, who has her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the sciences, has earned a CLP (Certified Licensing Professional) credential and is the past-president and chair of the Board of Governors of Certified Licensing Professionals, Inc.,” Duke noted.
“She is also a past-president of the Association of University Technology Managers Board of Trustees.
Rasor was previously director of licensing at The Ohio State University and worked with Battelle Columbus Laboratories, a contract research firm, for a decade before that.”
