About - RDNJ

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