About

Since our founding in 1962, the Research & Development Council of New Jersey has worked to advance research and development throughout New Jersey. We advocate on behalf of research-driven companies and universities in the state. We bolster New Jersey’s STEM education and career pipeline. And we foster collaboration among industry, academia and government.
Mission & Vision

Mission: The Research & Development Council of New Jersey fosters collaboration among leaders in industry, academia and government to strengthen New Jersey’s innovation economy.

Vision: Advancing Innovation. Improving the world.

History and key initiatives
How it all began

The Research & Development Council was founded in 1962 by industry leaders who saw the need for collaboration among industry, academia and government in order to support and strengthen the innovation environment in New Jersey.

Promoting R&D tax credits

The R&D Council worked with the State of New Jersey to create tax credits for R&D facilities to help spur the state’s innovation economy.

Building NJ’s STEM pipeline

The R&D Council today leads the state in guiding and promoting corporate and government investment in STEM education to develop, retain and attract top talent in New Jersey.

Giving R&D a voice in Trenton

R&D Council staff and board members work regularly with state political leaders to strengthen the effectiveness of R&D driven enterprises and to gain insights into the political and legislative agenda.

Spotlighting NJ’s remarkable research talent
The R&D Council honors New Jersey’s best and brightest inventors through the annual Thomas Edison Patent Awards. The annual event, which has been held for four decades, showcases patented innovations that change the world.
Leadership
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Virginie Maillard
Chairwoman
Head of Global Research in Simulation and Digital Twin and Head of Research in US for Siemens Foundational Technologies
SIEMENS TECHNOLOGY
Ian Davies, Ph.D.
Vice Chair
Principal, Princeton Catalysis Initiative
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
Dan Rosenthal
Secretary
Vice President, Product Development for the Joint Replacement Business
STRYKER
Jeffrey Stokes
Treasurer
Senior Director-Development
PSEG

BOARD

The Hon. Robert Asaro-Angelo
Commissioner
NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Aaron Balog, Ph.D.
Scientific Senior Director, Protein Homeostasis & Peptide Chemistry
BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB
Haskell Berman
Director of External Affairs
CORIELL INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH
Keith Bostian, Ph.D.
Dean of NJCSTM / Technology Transfer Office
Founder & CEO, Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship
KEAN UNIVERSITY
Stefanie Brachfeld, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Research
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
Rubi Burlage, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President, Sterile Product and Device Development
MERCK
Jeffrey Cartmell, Ph.D.
Senior Director, Intellectual Property & Grants
MTF BIOLOGICS
Mario M. Casabona
Founder and CEO
CASABONA VENTURES LLC
Nandu Deorkar, Ph.D.
Vice President, Research & Development
AVANTOR PERFORMANCE MATERIALS
Atam P. Dhawan, Ph.D.
Senior Vice Provost for Research Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Deborah Perez Fernandez, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Technology Transfer
RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
Donald Geiss
Chief (A), Business Interface Office
US ARMY DEVCOM ARMAMENTS CENTER
Paul Hoffman
President & CEO
LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER
Louis Lombardo, Ph.D.
Global Head Discovery Chemistry
JOHNSON & JOHNSON INNOVATIVE MEDICINE
Alan J. Main, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President, Pharmaceutical Research
LEXICON PHARMACEUTICALS
Susan Miller, Ph.D.
Program Manager, Bell Labs Core Research
NOKIA BELL LABS
William Penders
Managing Director-Sector Development
NEW JERSEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Sandra Powell-Elliott
Vice President, Life Science and Innovation
HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH
Aaron Price
CEO
TECHUNITED, NEW JERSEY
Kathleen Scotto, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Research, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
Judith Sheft
Executive Director
NEW JERSEY COMMISSION ON SCIENCE, INNOVATION, AND TECHNOLOGY
Stephen Socolof
Managing Partner
TECH COUNCIL VENTURES
Ed Synakowski, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Research and Innovation
STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Sujata Vaidyanathan, Ph.D.
Development Head, In-Market Brands and Global Health
NOVARTIS
Mei Wei, Ph.D.
Vice President for Research
ROWAN UNIVERSITY
David Zimmerman, Ph.D., J.D.
Strategic Partnership Officer
PRINCETON PLASMA PHYSICS LABORATORY

Staff

Anthony S. Cicatiello
President
Kim Case, J.D.
Executive Director
Alise Roderer
Governor’s STEM Scholars Director
Shirley Mautone
Programs Manager
Karla Esquilín-Lebrón, Ph.D.
Governor’s STEM Scholars Research Advisor