Parkside Students Serve as WiSys Ambassadors

Published: December 23, 2014

The WiSys Ambassador Program aims to enhance the vital connection between WiSys and the research community on UW System campuses. Engaging students to serve as WiSys Ambassadors brings a new dimension to WiSys' outreach mission and augments the visibility and presence among researchers and students on each of the campuses WiSys serves.

The Parkside WiSys Ambassadors are Amanpreet Kaur Mann, who is pursuing a master of business administration degree, and Antero Nevarez-Lira, a computer science major. Dr. Wei-Jun Zheng, an association professor in the university's AACSB accredited Business Department, is the Parkside faculty advisor.

WiSys Ambassadors receive training in intellectual property as well as the technology-transfer process, and learn how to access resources offered by WiSys and other campus organizations designed to support technology development and entrepreneurial activity.

Ambassadors spend five to 10 hours per month enhancing the understanding and awareness of WiSys' role across the campuses, increasing engagement with academics and students undertaking innovative research and helping to identify potential opportunities where WiSys can provide support.

WiSys Ambassadors are involved in organizing seminars, hosting inter-departmental mixers, and serve as a valuable resource for their respective departments and campus. WiSys launched the pilot program in August 2014 at UW-Parkside and UW-River Falls. The program will be rolled out to each of the other comprehensive campuses in spring 2015, with the aim of having two Ambassadors from each campus.

The mission of WiSys is to manage the intellectual property of the University of Wisconsin System to support basic research and speed technology transfer from university labs for the benefit of society. WiSys Technology Foundation extends the mission, goals and objectives of its affiliate, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, to benefit 11 four-year campuses and 13 two-year colleges of the University of Wisconsin System. WiSys also serves UW-Extension.