The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program at Dartmouth seeks to develop new multidisciplinary pathways for STEM graduate students to focus on skills and experience in entrepreneurship and research translation.
This comprehensive traineeship expands Thayer School of Engineering's PhD Innovation Program to include science students in Dartmouth's Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies who wish to gain training and experiential learning to be able to commercialize their own technologies.
"This unique graduate research training program at Dartmouth places a strong emphasis not only on translational research, but also on entrepreneurial-thinking skills for the successful transfer of new technology out of the university laboratory to the commercial sector to best benefit society. Such human-centered engineering and science is a hallmark of Dartmouth and often results in the creation of start-up companies that create jobs and benefit the economy." —Professor Eric Fossum, NRT Co-PI
Dartmouth's NRT program is looking for entrepreneurially-minded graduate student researchers focused on sensor science technology applications and commercialization. Sensors impact the lives of nearly every human being, and new and emerging sensor technologies are key for scientific discovery. From image sensors that have revolutionized digital cameras and social communication to biosensors that rapidly detect and monitor disease, new sensor technology has constantly improved humans' understanding of life, our planet, and the universe.
The NRT program "allows us to both grow the PhD Innovation Program and support critical new research in sensor innovations across disciplinary boundaries. Dartmouth's engineering, biology, chemistry, computer science, and physics departments are all involved."
—Professor Laura Ray, NRT Co-PI
Dartmouth's NRT Program is transdisciplinary across sensor science and technology, from sensing at quantum limits and discovery of new materials for sensors to applications and algorithms for processing large datasets made possible by ubiquitous sensing.
New and emerging sensor technologies rooted in fundamental understanding of quantum physics, chemistry, and materials science are key enablers of platform technologies. Senior personnel, faculty members from Dartmouth’s biology, chemistry, and physics departments, join with computer science and engineering faculty on research that will focus on the continuum from fundamental understanding of sensor physics and materials science (e.g., quantum information and the quantum limits of sensing; interactions of small molecules with materials; and development of optoelectronic materials, nanomaterials, and nanostructures) to the applications of sensor innovations to science discovery, human health, environmental monitoring, and sustainable energy generation.
The program includes a traditional research thesis and provides resources for students to develop a degree of independence in their research direction following exploration of value definition and customer identification, performed through IP coursework. In short, PhD students are motivated to apply their research and innovate solutions to the most challenging problems facing mankind, leading to discoveries and inventions that the students themselves have translated during or subsequent to completion of their degrees.
Our approach is expected to advance research impact timelines through translation of new sensor technologies. Innovation and entrepreneurship training incorporating individual and team-based projects on technology assessment, management, and transfer adds to this impact by enabling students to play a role in commercializing their own discoveries.
Eric R. Fossum
John H. Krehbiel Sr. Professor for Emerging Technologies
Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer
Director, Dartmouth PhD Innovation Program
Katherine Mirica
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Temiloluwa Prioleau
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Laura Ray
Professor of Engineering Sciences
Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development
I-Corps Sites Director
Michael Hoppa
Assistant Professor of Biology
Jifeng Liu
Associate Professor of Engineering Sciences
Kofi Odame
Associate Professor of Engineering Sciences
Lana Rucks
Principal Consultant
William Scheideler
Assistant Professor of Engineering Sciences
James Whitfield
Assistant Professor of Physics
Xia Zhou
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Students may apply to work with any Dartmouth faculty not listed above that are agreeable to participating in the program.
Eric R. Fossum
John H. Krehbiel Sr. Professor for Emerging Technologies
Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer
Director, Dartmouth PhD Innovation Program
