UH Innovation Council (UHIC)
AUTHENTIC & COLLABORATIVE
THINKS OUTSIDE THE BOX
SERVES A UNIQUE FUNCTION
BRIDGES ACADEMIA & BUSINESS
UH Innovation Council focuses on developing programs and pathways to enhance the visibility, recognition, and commercialization of university and UH-affiliated intellectual property and startups.
Mission Statement
To foster a campus-wide innovation ecosystem by uniting university stakeholders (internal and external), alumni, investors, corporate partners, and the Houston community. Through integration and collaboration, we aim to provide robust support for UH faculty, students, staff, and friends to transform their groundbreaking ideas, inventions, and businesses into globally impactful products that drive progress and success.
Vision Statement
To be a leading institutional, collaborative framework of innovation and entrepreneurship, providing a unified network of resources that empowers the greater UH and Houston community to create transformative solutions, impactful businesses, inspire future generations of innovators and entrepreneurs, contribute to the Houston entrepreneurial landscape, and shape industries worldwide.
Jokūbas Žiburkus, PhD
Chair (2025-2027)
Associate Professor, Biology and Biochemistry
College of Natural Science and Mathematics
Interests and Areas of Expertise
IP Commercialization
Life Sciences
Neuroscience
Entrepreneurship
Product Development
Kelly McCormick, JD
Co-Chair (2025-2027)
Professor of Practice
Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Early-stage Entrepreneurship
Ideation
Law
Haleh Ardebili, PhD
Founding Chair / Member
Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Cullen College of Engineering
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Energy Storage
Engineering
Biomanufacturing
IP Commercialization
Innovation Ecosystem
Education
Energy Harvesting
Electronic Packaging
Luca Pollonini, PhD
Member
Associate Professor, Engineering Technology
Cullen College of Engineering
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Neuroimaging
Biomedical Instruments
Industry-University Partnerships
Commercialization
Entrepreneurships
Alex Landon, MBA
Member
Professor of Practice
Cullen College of Engineering
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Entrepreneurship
Education Technology
Energy
Venture Capital
Omolola E. Adepoju, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Member
Clinical Professor
Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Health Design
Healthcare Access
Digital Health Innovation
Aging
Public Health
Jason Eriksen, PhD
Member
Associate Professor, Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences
College of Pharmacy
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Life Sciences
Neuroscience
Artificial Intelligence
Entrepreneurship
Ming Hu, PhD
Member
Professor, Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences
College of Pharmacy
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Drug Development
Device with Drugs
Natural Products as Drugs
SBIR/STTR Grants
Tanu Chatterji, PhD
Member and Associate Director of Startups
Founder and Managing Director of Innov8 Hub
Director, UH Technology Bridge Incubator
Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Technology Commercialization
Startup Development
Entrepreneurial Programs
Ecosystem Building
Venture Capital
Technology Transfer
Michael Harold, PhD
Member
Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation | Cullen College of Engineering
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Intellectual Property Licensing
Commercialization
Industry Partnerships
Chemical Engineering
Energy Technology
Hydrogen
Tina Blakes
Member
Program Manager, Operations
Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Technology Transfer Assistance
Administrative Support
Jakoah Brgoch, PhD
Member
Associate Professor, Chemistry
College of Natural Science and Mathematics
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Materials Discovery
SBIR/STTR Grants
Artificial Intelligence
Machine Learning
Stacey Gorniak, PhD
Member
Associate Professor, Health and Human Performance
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Health Sciences
Neuroscience
Translational Research
Jason Marsack, PhD
Member
Associate Professor, Vision Sciences
College of Optometry
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Vision Science
Optical Correction of the Diseased Eye's Refractive Error
Translational Science
Leslie Coward, PhD
Member
Director, Faculty Engagement and Development
Provost's Office
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Faculty Engagement
Entrepreneurship
Greg Vetter, JD, MBA
Member
Professor
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
University of Houston Law Center
Interests and Areas of Expertise
Intellectual Property
Software