BioVentures, the technology transfer office of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has partnered with the UAMS Office of Research and Innovation to launch the Research Innovation Ambassadors Program, an initiative designed to strengthen innovation awareness, encourage collaboration and connect researchers with resources and opportunities across UAMS. 

The program’s inaugural cohort brings together faculty and staff from a variety of disciplines who will serve as ambassadors for innovation within their departments and professional networks. Through this role, participants will help colleagues identify opportunities, access available resources and explore pathways for advancing research discoveries toward commercialization. 

The initiative aims to strengthen connections between UAMS researchers and the university’s innovation resources, including those offered through BioVentures. By increasing awareness of technology transfer, intellectual property and commercialization opportunities, the program will help faculty and staff better understand how their research and ideas can move toward practical applications. 

Research Innovation Ambassadors will also support communication and collaboration across departments, share information about innovation-related programs and encourage greater engagement in activities that advance research and discovery. 

The inaugural cohort includes Samuel Atcherson, Craig Forrest, Abdelrahman Fouda, Robert J. Griffin, Andy James, G. Andrew James, Grover P. Miller, Konrad Rajab, Analiz Rodriguez, Ankita Shukla, Amanda Stolarz, Ben Stronach, Sami Uwaydat, Christopher Wardell and Yong Zhu. 

Through this partnership, BioVentures and the Office of Research and Innovation aim to build a stronger, more connected innovation community at UAMS, supporting researchers as they explore opportunities to translate their discoveries into meaningful impact.