The Kummer College of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development have named Shou Wong as the director of corporate partnerships, a new position created to connect industry partners with students and faculty at Missouri S&T. He began his duties on May 5. 

Before joining S&T, Wong served as chief innovation officer at TurtleTree Labs Inc. where he led technology evaluation, partnership development and strategic collaborations. Prior to his tenure at TurtleTree, Wong served as head of technology scouting at Merck KGaA, also known as MilliporeSigma, where he supported the company’s open innovation initiatives and Merck Ventures on investment opportunities. With a Ph.D. in molecular genetics, Shou brings a deep understanding of the scientific principles driving advancements in life science and biotechnology fields coupled with business acumen. 

In his role as the director of corporate partnerships, Wong’s main goal will be to develop and lead Kummer College’s new Team Innovation Project. This new program will allow companies to gain access to S&T’s students and faculty to explore cost-effective solutions to specific challenges, conduct feasibility studies and identify potential future employees.  

The Team Innovation Project will allow both undergraduate and graduate students the chance to tackle real-world projects in R&D, sales, marketing and business development, functioning as an extension of the company’s team. 

“I’m excited to be in a place where I can contribute to students’ career development and help them gain a competitive edge in the job market.,” Wong said.  

Beyond the TIP program, Wong will support the college’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by improving the technology transfer process, attracting more investments to Rolla and contributing to development of the Bioplex. 

“I really enjoy working with students. I see myself in them. Thirty years ago, I wish I had some of the guidance from people who have gone through their career to advise me,” Wong said. “I’m glad to be in a position to offer guidance and support to the S&T students and leave my legacy to the world.” 

Wong received a Ph.D. in molecular genetics from Georgia State University, conducted a post-doctoral fellowship in molecular neurobiology and gene therapy at Washington University Medical School and completed sabbatical research in synthetic biology at Harvard Medical School. 

About Missouri S&T 

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit  www.mst.edu.