Emma Millhouse
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, where you grew up and your career journey to date?
I was born and grew up in Edinburgh before hopping along the M8 to do my undergraduate degree in Immunology at The University of Glasgow; an MRes in Biomedical Science here at The University of Strathclyde; and then back to The University of Glasgow for my PhD. After some time as lab manager, I decided to jump ship and leave academia and worked in a SME where, due to the size of the company, I took on several roles including method design, technical work, project management and business development. This experience made me realise that I wanted to work in a role where I could help commercialise technology, and when the role as IP & Commercialisation Manager at Strathclyde came up in 2018 I jumped at the chance to work at the interface of academia and the commercial world.
What is your role at the University of Strathclyde and what are your main responsibilities?
As an IP & Commercialisation Manager my role is to identify, protect and commercialise University-owned intellectual property via licensing or spin-out creation. My focus is predominantly in Pure and Applied Chemistry, although I have been known to dabble in other departments such as Biomedical Engineering, Physics and Humanities and Social Sciences. My role involves putting opportunities through the IP & Commercialisation team’s pipeline; a stage-gate process where we validate commercial potential through a range of support mechanisms and finishes with negotiation of terms for a license agreement or company creation. Through drop-in sessions, ‘Ask Me Anything’s and workshops, I also try to increase the knowledge and understanding of IP & commercialisation so that when staff do develop something innovative, they know how to best protect it and engage with our team.
In reality, what this means is I get to work with individuals and teams of staff who have developed really exciting technologies and opportunities, and work with them bring them from a concept or prototype into something which leaves the university and creates positive impact in the world.
What's your favourite thing about working with Strathclyde Inspire?
I am always in awe of the incredible technologies and opportunities our staff bring to us to help support them to commercialise. It is a real testament to the calibre of staff and quality research that is done here. Commercialisation can take a long time; for spin-outs this can be a number of years, and working one-to-one on projects you really do become part of the team and invested in their success. I am always delighted when I hear how well teams who I have supported are doing once they have gone through their journey with Inspire.
If you could visit one place in the world next week, where would you go and why?
Italy. I love it and I go almost every year. The first time I went I nearly had an emotional breakdown over a ball of mozzarella, and tomatoes back home have been ruined for me since I have tasted fresh Italian ones. Plus, the wine is amazing! What’s not to love about a good food, good wine, good weather and good company?
What fictional place would you like to visit?
I’m a big fan of fantasy books, games and TV shows so this one is tough! I’d have great fun travelling through Exandria created by Matthew Mercer or The Cosmere by Brandon Sanderson, they are both fantastic worldbuilders and to get to see some of the places they have created would be wonderful.
What three items would you bring on a desert island?
Assuming we are talking more about luxury items rather than survival things, I would have to take a games console with an unlimited supply of video games and TV to play it on. Since having my daughter there hasn’t been much opportunity to play games, so I would have a whole collection of adventures to go on to pass the time.
