Plainsboro, NJ (April 14, 2014) Einstein’s Alley, the private, non-profit economic development initiative for Central New Jersey, is proud to announce the addition of< strong>Robert J. Bianchini, Ph.D., Global Head Technical Licensing and Development at Merck Consumer Care and Judith A. Sheft, Associate Vice President Technology Development at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, as new members of the Einstein’s Alley Advisory Council.
Dr. Bianchini joined Merck in 2009 as Vice-President of R&D, Consumer Care (MCC), where he has led the development and global expansion of its major Dermatology brands such as Coppertone, Lotrimin, and Tinactin. Presently, he is leading MCC’s Technical License and Open Innovation Program.
Prior to Merck & Co., he held executive positions at Johnson & Johnson and Colgate-Palmolive. Most recently, he was Chief Scientific Officer of a Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation Venture, Molsaic. He has authored over 25 patents and publications and has lectured globally.
Ms. Sheft is responsible for managing NJIT’s Office of Technology Development and creates programs and policies focusing on patent creation, intellectual property valuation, strategic use and protection of IP assets. She is also involved with economic development in the Newark Innovation Zone having responsibilities for management of the university’s high technology business accelerator/incubator, the Enterprise Development Center, and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center.
She is on the Board of Advisors to the NJIT School of Management and the NJIT Albert Dorman Honor’s College Interdisiplinary Design Studio program.
Prior to joining NJIT, she had been a founding member of Licenz Group, an IP consulting firm. Before that she had worked as the Intellectual Property and Compliance Vice President for Agere Systems, the semiconductor subsidiary of Lucent Technologies.
Continuing as members of the Einstein’s Alley Advisory Council are: Mario M. Casabona, TechLaunch, Doug Crisman, Private investor & Business Advisor, Peter Crowley, Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Michael P. Eldredge, American Sensor Technologies, Inc, Larry A Evans, Virtual Board of Advisors, R. Peter Hagen, Jr., iQ Venture Advisors, LLC, Paul Kuhl, WithumSmith+Brown, Marguerite Mount, The Mercadien Group, John P. Riganati, NJTSC & SRI, Ralph Widner, Economic Development expert, Melanie Willoughby, NJ Business & Industry Association.
Einstein’s Alley, a non-profit organization, helps enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem in its five county Central New Jersey region in order to attract and retain technology-based businesses. Einstein’s Alley collaborates and coordinates with existing governmental, non-profit and business sectors to help grow the region as a magnet for entrepreneurial activity and as a globally recognized economic powerhouse.
Einstein’s Alley is currently raising awareness through conferences/presentations, STEM gatherings and a municipal sign program designating the high tech corridor at key locations; fostering more entrepreneurial funding in New Jersey as well as spotlighting issues surrounding immigration and employment.
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