Dr. Walter G. Copan is Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer at Colorado School of Mines, a leading U.S. research university. He also听serves as Senior Advisor and co-founder of the Renewing American Innovation Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He听previously served as Under Secretary of Commerce and 16th Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), having been听unanimously confirmed by the Senate. Dr. Copan is a distinguished leader with wide-ranging experience spanning large company, venture capital,听entrepreneurial tech startups, government, academia, and non-profit organizations. He brings broadly based expertise in science and technology听leadership, strategy and innovation. Case Western Reserve University recognized Dr. Copan as the University鈥檚 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in听2008. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (FNAI) and was named 2020 Laboratory Director of the Year by the Federal Laboratory听Consortium (FLC). AUTM recognized Dr. Copan with its 2021 Bayh-Dole Award for leadership contributions to technology transfer and innovation. In听2022, he received the Baldrige Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence in Government. He completed his undergraduate degrees in Chemistry听and Music, and his PhD in Physical Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University.