Startup champion Regis Kelly awarded Citation of Excellence
May 27, 2016 •
President Janet Napolitano has awarded a Citation of Excellence to neuroscientist and UC startup champion Regis Kelly in recognition of his work over the past 18 months as her senior adviser on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Kelly, who directs the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, known as QB3, has been a longtime catalyst for startup partnerships linking UC research with the private sector.
Regis Kelly (seen here at UC’s Innovation Day at the state Capitol) helped draft California Assembly Bill 2664. If approved in June, the bill would fund entrepreneurship programs across the UC system. Photo credit: Robert Durrell
During his tenure as an adviser to Napolitano, Kelly lobbied for creation of a senior vice president for research innovation and entrepreneurship, a role that was assumed May 16 by Christine Gulbranson, whose expertise spans venture capital, clean energy and tech transfer.
Gulbranson is tasked with expanding the innovation and entrepreneurial capabilities of the UC system. She will also be responsible for forging alliances in government, private and philanthropic sectors to create new opportunities for research and economic growth.
In presenting Kelly with the University of California Citation of Excellence earlier this year, Napolitano commended him for his “unwavering dedication to promoting and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship across all 10 campuses.”
