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: As the Research & Development Council of New Jersey, we collaborate among industry, academia and government to grow and strengthen STEM in education, innovation and the economy.

Vision: Growing STEM. Advancing innovation. Impacting 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
Colleen Ruegger, RPh, Ph.D.
Chairwoman
Executive Director, Technical Research & Development (TRD), Development Unit Head CardioRenalMetabolic & Global Health
NOVARTIS
Virginie Maillard
Vice Chair
Head of Siemens Technology US
SIEMENS TECHNOLOGY
Ian Davies, Ph.D.
Secretary
Principal, Princeton Catalysis Initiative
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
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
Keith Bostian, Ph.D.
Dean of NJCSTM / Technology Transfer Office
Founder & CEO, Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship
KEAN UNIVERSITY
Stefanie Brachfeld, Ph.D.
Acting Vice Provost for Research
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
Rubi Burlage, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President, Sterile Product and Device Development
MERCK
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.
Acting Executive Director of Innovation Ventures
RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
Donald Geiss
Chief (A), Business Interface Office
US ARMY DEVCOMM 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
Katie Heneghan Perry
Senior Research Manager, Analytics and Materials Characterization
BASF
Sandra Powell-Elliott
Vice President, Life Science and Innovation
HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH
Aaron Price
CEO
TECHUNITED, NEW JERSEY
Gregory Roehrich
Chief, Business Interface Office
U.S. ARMY CCDC ARMAMENTS CENTER
Dan Rosenthal
Vice President, Product Development for the Joint Replacement Business
STRYKER
Kathleen Scotto, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Research, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
Judith Sheft
Executive Director
NEW JERSEY COMMISSION ON SCIENCE, INNOVATION, AND TECHNOLOGY
Stephen Socolof
Managing Partner
NEW VENTURE PARTNERS LLC.
Ed Synakowski, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Research and Innovation
STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Mei Wei, Ph.D.
Vice President for Research
ROWAN UNIVERSITY
David Zimmerman
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