Innovation ambassadors help research reach the real world

Vanderbilt’s Innovation Ambassadors program trains faculty to guide colleagues in moving research discoveries from the lab to real-world applications through tech transfer and commercialization support. The initiative, launched in 2022 through the Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization, has become a national model with ambassadors across various departments helping researchers understand how to translate their work into broader impact. Faculty members like James Weimer and Alyssa Wise highlight how early engagement with commercialization resources helps shape research outcomes.