Leadership

Leadership

Our Team

The Bakar Fellows Program is guided by engaged and experienced campus leaders who can readily help navigate the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem on campus.

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David Schaffer

Faculty Director

David Schaffer is the faculty director of the Bakar Fellows program. As a former Bakar Fellow and startup cofounder of eight companies, he knows what’s key in supporting entrepreneurship on campus. Moreover, as a professor and the director of the Bakar BioEnginuity Hub, he is truly engaged helping researchers at all levels learn about translating basic research to real-world solutions.

susan jenkins headshot

Susan Jenkins

Executive Director

Susan Jenkins is the Executive Director of the Bakar Fellows Program. She brings experience as an academic researcher, manager of academic-industry alliances, involvement with NSF I-Corps and broad administrative knowledge at all levels.

Advisory Board

The Bakar Fellows Program is supported by esteemed campus and external partners who serve as members on the Advisory Board.

springer lab group

Program Overview

About the Program

The Bakar Fellows Program is structured to catalyze commercialization of innovative research by supporting aspiring faculty-entrepreneurs and their research teams to develop real-world solutions for real-world problems.