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Office of Commercialization and Industry Engagement

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The Office of Commercialization and Industry Engagement (OCIE) is the university’s gateway for collaboration between industry and our talented research teams.

With a mandate to support the university’s researchers and economic development in the region and beyond, OCIE provides strategic access to the university’s intellectual property and expertise for the creation of startups and to support the R&D needs of organizations.

OCIE is a unit within the Office of theÌýVice-President, Research & Innovation (OVPRI), the central unit overseeing research interests at Â鶹´«Ã½.

Services

Industry partnerships and business developmentÌý

University-industry collaborations address real-world problems, drive innovation and economic growth, and train the next generation of leaders.Ìý Ìý

Technology transfer and commercializationÌý

Helping to get leading Â鶹´«Ã½ innovations into the market and put to impactful use via technology transfer and commercialization.Ìý

Resources and supportÌý

Connecting Â鶹´«Ã½ faculty and students with education, tools, support, and mentorship opportunities via university-led accelerators and programs through Dal Innovates.

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Contact our team

Portrait of Stephen Hartlen

Assistant vice-president, industry relations

Stephen Hartlen, MBA, B.Comm

Ìý

Contact:

(902) 494-3237
Stephen.Hartlen@dal.caÌý

Stephen Hartlen (MBA, B.Comm)Ìý has been leading the OCIE team since 2011. As the university’s assistant vice-president, industry relations his mandate is growing the research enterprise by partnering with the private sector and providing excellent customer service to our research community.Ìý

Portrait of Ben Goldberg

Managing director, industry engagement and customer experience

Ben Goldberg, MBA

Contact:

(902) 494-6996
ben.goldberg@dal.caÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Ben Goldberg (MBA)Ìýjoined OCIE with 10 years of experience in post-secondary education, focused on commercializing science and technology. ÌýBen was instrumental in the establishment and growth of the Creative Destruction Lab, both at Â鶹´«Ã½ and at the University of Oxford. Ben holds a BA from Mount Allison University, and an MBA from Â鶹´«Ã½. Ìý

Portrait of Michelle Gurrola Gal

Manager, engineering and science

Michelle Gurrola-Gal, (MSc, BSc, LVT, RLATg)

Contact:

(902) 494-3397
michelle.gurrola-gal@dal.ca

Michelle Gurrola-Gal is an experienced biomedical research and management professional with a focus on clinical trials, zebrafish research programs, and training in preclinical safety. She joined the OCIE team in 2020. Michelle received her MSc in Biology from Villanova University and her bachelor's degree in veterinary technology (minor in Management) from Quinnipiac University. She is also a licensed Veterinary Technician and Laboratory Animal Technologist.

Portrait of Adam Haller

Managing director, commercialization and licensing

Adam Haller, BSc, JDÌý

Contact:

(902) 494-6313
adam.haller@dal.ca

Adam Haller draws on a career spent at the intersection of science, business, and law to help Â鶹´«Ã½ researchers bring their world-leading innovations to market and put them to impactful use. Adam joined Â鶹´«Ã½ after ten years practicing intellectual property law at a global law firm in Toronto.Ìý

Portrait of Brennan Gillis

Manager, agriculture and aquaculture

Brennan Gillis, MBA

Contact:

(902) 266-2991
brennangillis@dal.ca

Brennan Gillis (MBA) brings a wealth of economic development experience, including time spent working in the Mitacs program supporting industry and academic collaborative research. His tenure as CEO of the Truro & Colchester Partnership was marked by the development programming designed to assist businesses in Truro and Colchester in starting, growing, and navigating challenges. He is also a founding director of Truro Cannabis Inc. With a robust background in business and community economic development, Brennan is a valued member of the research support team. Brennan has an undergraduate Commerce degree and obtained his MBA from Saint Mary’s University in 2011.

Portrait of Annette Rushton

Manager, health and life sciences

Annette Rushton, PhDÌý

Contact:

(902) 494-1830
annette.rushton@dal.ca

Annette Rushton (PhD)Ìýis a research scientist with industrial, academic and governmental experience in life and health sciences. Her role at OCIE is to engage industry and commercialize intellectual property developed by faculty, students, and staff within the life and health science faculties at Â鶹´«Ã½. Prior to joining OCIE in 2018, Annette led the biology program at DeNovaMed Inc., a local antibacterial start-up company, where she was involved in drug discovery, business development and translational research. Annette received both her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and BSc in Biochemistry and Microbiology from Â鶹´«Ã½ and pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in yeast genetics at Columbia University.ÌýÌý

Portrait of Matthew Doyle

Manager, computer science

Matthew Doyle, PhD, PEngÌý

Contact:

(902) 431-0542
matthew.doyle@dal.caÌý

Ìý

Matthew Doyle (PhD, PEng)Ìýis a research project manager who joined OCIE after 9 years in an academic research environment at the University of Toronto and the University Health Network. He previously led a multidisciplinary research team working on engineering and clinical research projects in cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. He has extensive experience in writing research grant proposals, developing partnerships, and negotiating contracts. Matthew holds a BEng in Biological Engineering from Â鶹´«Ã½ and an MASc and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Ottawa. He is a licenced Professional Engineer.Ìý
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Portrait of Ayo Arowolo

Associate legal counsel

Ayodeji Arowolo, LLMÌý

Contact:

(902) 220-3109Ìý
ayo.arowolo@dal.ca

Ayodeji Arowolo (LLM) is an international lawyer with experience in contract, corporate and commercial law, and labour and employment law. He holds an LLM degree in International Trade and Commercial Law from Durham University in the UK. Ayodeji’s resourcefulness, in-depth understanding of legal principles and distinctive ability to simplify and resolve complex legal issues draws roots from a combined experience of 14 years of dispute resolution practice in top law firms and from occupying roles as in-house commercial and regulatory and compliance counsel in multinational companies within the FMCG and telecommunications sectors.Ìý
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Portrait of Christine Reid.

Office manager

Christine Reid

Contact:

(902) 494-3509Ìý
christine.reid@dal.ca

Ìý

Christine Reid has been with OCIE since 2006. Her role as Office Manager includes being:

  • prime administrator for the IP management database

  • IP docketing manager

  • annuities management

  • Maintaining the patent, technology and agreement files,

  • Assisting with administration on various programs and general office related duties.Ìý

Ìý

Portrait of Aishwarya Mohan

Business development specialist (Mitacs-Â鶹´«Ã½)

Aishwarya MohanÌý

Contact:

(782) 641-2916
amohan@mitacs.caÌýÌý

Aishwarya Mohan completed a dual degree (B.Sc. in Agriculture & and B.Tech. in Environmental Landscape Horticulture) and a master’s degree in agriculture with a focus on bioproduct development from byproducts and waste streams. She has over eight years of experience in conducting research and five years of experience in managing and facilitating research as research manager in bioproducts. She has managed several multistakeholder projects and collaborations, particularly working with industry partners and start-ups.

Portrait of Shivani Dave

Finance manager

Shivani DaveÌý

Contact:

(902) 494-6285
Shivani.dave@dal.ca

Shivani Dave (MBA) is the the Finance Manager at OCIE, overseeing financial operations, including Patents & Royalty Accounts. She brings over 15 years of experience in financial management within both the service and manufacturing sectors. Since joining Â鶹´«Ã½ in 2019, she has demonstrated exceptional proficiency in managing budgets and financial administration.

Portrait of Aishwarya Shrestha

Program coordinator

Aishwarya Shrestha

Contact:

(902) 494-6285
a.shrestha@dal.ca

AishwaryaÌýShrestha specializes in building industry relations and addressing academic needs, with over six years of experience working in post-secondary environments. She holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Saint Mary’s University and has a strong focus on bridging the gap between academia and industry. Her post university career began at Digital Nova Scotia as a Project Coordinator, where she worked with key players in the tech ecosystem. She later served as an Alumni and Industry Engagement Manager for the Faculty of Computer Science at Â鶹´«Ã½ for 2 years.

Aishwarya’s expertise lies in relationship building, business development, industry engagement, project management and event planning.

At OCIE, her primary focus is driving connections between researchers and industry partners, while securing government funding, such as the Invest NS Voucher Program and NRC IRAP Program, to address real world industry challenges