The University of Kentucky is aiming to be a leader in advancing research and innovation that has the potential for social impact with the launch of a new program within its Office of Technology Commercialization.
For decades, universities' technology transfer offices haven't engaged with social innovation because it wasn't necessarily patentable, profitable or based in high-tech science. UK has set out to change that narrative through its new Social Innovation program that aims to push forward that research through entrepreneurship, partnership and other social ventures.
Ian McClure, associate vice president for research, innovation and economic impact and leader of UK Innovate, said he found opportunity in a number of great discoveries and data-driven research at UK that fell outside of the scope of traditional tech transfer, which facilitates the commercialization process of university-led research.
"I really wanted to invest in catalyzing that type of work through those innovators on our campus that we aren't traditionally touching [through tech transfer], and now we get to work squarely with social sciences and faculty researchers in arts, humanities and in education," McClure said. "There's only a handful of universities here in the U.S. that have taken this leap to invest in at least a single person or a team to focus on social impact and social innovation work within their tech transfer office, so I saw an opportunity for UK to jump out in front, make it an intentional piece of our work and to really drive impact through this type of research and these innovators."
Inclusive innovation is a big tenet of the new program, McClure continued, in an effort to increase access to innovation and entrepreneurship programs for underrepresented researchers, as social impact is often intertwined with social advocacy, social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
UK's Social Innovation team is led by Serenity Wright, associate director of Social Innovation as a part of the Office of Technology Commercialization. She most recently served as the Gatton Honors Pathway director and co-director for diversity, equity and inclusion for the Gatton College of Business and Economics, and was on the interview committee for the newly-created leadership role she recently accepted.
McClure said he had initially sought Wright out for the interview committee because of her experience and insights on social entrepreneurship, but quickly realized that made her the perfect candidate for the position.
"This position allowed me to marry inclusion work, anti-discrimination work, and access and opportunity work with business, with innovation and community sustainability," Wright said. "I've been doing this work for 16 years and one of the biggest pieces that I always talk about are the systemic barriers to access and opportunity.
"When I worked in city government, we talked about specifically the ways city government plays a role in trying to close those gaps or address those barriers, and in the business college, we talk about the role and the significance of industry and business in helping close those gaps or remove those barriers. For me, this is how you practically do it."
Wright's hiring is just the start of the Social Innovation program, McClure said, adding that UK intends to hire students and a commercialization manager to build capacity. The program will also be looking to develop a Social Impact Fund to increase access to capital for those innovators and entrepreneurs within the space.
"The opportunity is here, so don't sit back and wait," Wright said. "Maybe you have an idea already. Maybe you don't. Maybe you have something you've been working on. Maybe you don't. But let's talk about it — let's start here."
For more information about the Social Innovation program, visit UK OTC's website here or email Wright at Serenity.Wright@uky.edu.
