The UTA College of Education STEM-E(RC)² Professional Development & Workshops are designed to support educators in enhancing their skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. These sessions emphasize research-based strategies, equity, and real-world classroom application to improve student learning outcomes. Participants engage in hands-on activities, collaborative learning, and innovative teaching practices tailored to diverse learning environments. The program aims to empower teachers to create inclusive, effective, and engaging STEM experiences for all students.
Investing in Faculty Entrepreneurs: Building Research into Ventures
Presented by: Matthew Parson, MBA and Russell Kruzelock, PhD
Description: Great research deserves more than publication, it deserves the opportunity to reach the marketplace. This session examines how universities can support faculty entrepreneurs through proof-of-concept funding, venture formation, licensing strategies, and connections to capital. Participants will learn what makes a technology "investable," how early-stage funding reduces commercialization risk, and the critical milestones that position university innovations for startup creation, licensing, and private investment. The session will also highlight the mindset shift from researcher to entrepreneur and the resources available to support that journey.
Matthew Parson Bio: Matt Parson is a distinguished professional with a wealth of experience in the field of higher education and currently serves as the Executive Director for Operations. Matt is dedicated to fostering collaborative research and development initiatives within the higher education landscape to spur the development of innovative startups and companies, helmed by pioneering researchers, to drive economic growth across the state.
Prior to his current position, Matt served as Assistant Commissioner for Workforce Innovation at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as well as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Government Relations at The Texas A&M University System.
Russell Kruzelock, PhD Bio: Dr. Russell “Rusty” Kruzelock has a 30-year track record in research and technology business development.
While a faculty member at Virginia Tech University, Dr. Kruzelock co-founded the USAF Epidemic Outbreak Surveillance program, which helped modernize the military’s biodefense response to infectious disease outbreaks.
In 2004, Dr. Kruzelock headed the PharmacoGenomics Department for the University of Texas’s Health Sciences Center – San Antonio, Institute for Drug Development, developing predictive biomarkers for cancer drug response.
In 2007, Dr. Kruzelock co-founded three Government think tanks that evaluated technologies and recommended technology investment strategies for the Department of Defense.
In 2013, Dr. Kruzelock joined the West Virginia Regional Technology Park (WVRTP) as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer. During his tenure, the WVRTP grew 92%, making it one of the fastest-growing research parks in the United States.
In 2020, he served as the Vice President for Research at Abilene Christian University, where from 2020-2023, ACU’s research expenditures increased by 545%, making ACU the fastest-growing research program in the United States (NSF HERD Database, 2024).
Today, Dr. Kruzelock serves as the Executive Director of Innovation at the University of Texas-Arlington (UTA), where he is working to modernize UTA’s innovation infrastructure to more efficiently convert faculty research discoveries into sustainable solutions that benefit society, improve our quality of life, and stimulate regional economic growth.
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