UB hires new leader for business partnerships and entrepreneurs

Per Stromhaug, who has led economic development and innovation efforts at Binghamton University for more than a decade, has been named senior associate vice president for economic development at Binghamton University, a position previously held by Rick Gardner.

Stromhaug, who has a doctorate in cell biology and an MBA, has been with Binghamton University since 2013, most recently as associate vice president for innovation and economic development. He is credited with helping the university and the Binghamton region become national leaders in battery innovation and manufacturing.

“His extensive experience in economic development and as a scientist will further commercialize technologies and innovations across the region and beyond,” said Venu Govindaraju, UB vice president for research and economic development.

Among her other responsibilities, Stromhaug will lead multiple grant-funded programs, such as Cultivator at the University at Buffalo, which supports Western New York startup founders in their earliest stages by providing mentoring, investment, and other resources to help them turn innovative ideas into profitable, scalable businesses.

Stromhaug will also oversee the operations and programming of the Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, the Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics, and the Center for Advanced Technologies in Big Data and Health Sciences at the University at Buffalo.