1
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
I have been working closely with Rich Sorenson, dean of the university’s Pamplin College of Business, to develop ways to
foster sharing of science and business expertise among faculty and students in our two colleges.
Scientific breakthroughs happen when boundaries are pushed — boundaries of ideas, questions, hypotheses, investigation
techniques, and methods of exploration. The vast array of new products and inventions that are developed from pushing
these limits will be part of an extraordinary enterprise in the 21st century. We can be proud that the College of Science is
at the forefront of this adventure.
Lay Nam Chang
Dean, College of Science
ISSUE NO. 7 FALL 2009
Another example of bringing science to market is the partnership between researchers in the Department of Chemistry
and Molsoft LLC who are developing a new class of insecticides to reduce malaria transmission (see article, page 11).
Once again, this is an excellent example of products developed through scientific research that meet critical world needs.
M A G A Z I N E
Our college proudly includes many strong examples of discoveries that will ultimately lead to global benefits once they
are fully developed and can interface with society’s marketplace. Several such examples are featured in this issue of the
College of Science Magazine. The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute supports researchers
focusing on some of today’s toughest medical challenges: cancer, obesity, falling risks, and treatment and prevention of
infectious diseases to name a few (see article page 10). This research is underway by faculty members in several colleges
within the university. Discoveries in these areas will ultimately lead to better health around the globe once they are
available on the market.
S C I E N C E
In this issue, the College of Science Magazine features our unique joint degree program in intellectual property law.
This endeavor will be educating some of the best and brightest young minds who will eventually help bring science to
market by offering expert counsel on such issues as patents, trademarks, copyrights, and industrial design rights. Our
enhanced joint degree program is a brainchild of Rodney Smolla, dean of the Washington and Lee School of Law and
former dean of the law school at the University of Richmond, and enables science majors to pursue a law degree at one
of two partnering universities for a J.D. with a specialty in intellectual property (see cover story, page 2). We are pleased
and honored to have Kimbley Muller, senior counsel for Shell Oil Company and 1969 alumnus of the college, as one of our
first instructors for the program.
O F
Our society is becoming increasingly dependent on discoveries as well as forward-thinking individuals who combine their
knowledge of science and business to bring new technologies to market. Science entrepreneurs are agents of change.
Their “business” is to predict critical societal needs, recognize marketable ideas, and build businesses based on scientific
breakthroughs on demand.
C O L L E G E
The Business of Science