Director of Research and Enterprise
Professor Liz Towns-Andrews OBE
Director of Research and Enterprise
Liz has been instrumental in securing European funding to create the new 3M Buckley Innovation Centre – a flagship hub, supporting spin-in and spin-out companies, linked to the University, providing access to markets, finance, skills and technology. The Centre will act as a catalyst to promote Business to Business and Business to Higher Education collaborations.
Contact
Tel: 01484 473169
E-mail: l.towns-andrews@hud.ac.uk
Liz joined the University of Huddersfield in September 2009. The key aspect which attracted her to the University and made the biggest impression was the combination of the University’s vision and ambition.
A trained chemist, Liz graduated with a PhD in X-ray crystallography before joining the Research Council system. She also has an MBA and is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics.
Her first position was as a scientist at the UK’s first synchrotron radiation source at Daresbury in Cheshire working closely with UK academics. At that time, her research included time resolved diffraction of biomolecular and polymeric systems but also required her to design and commission large scale equipment to carry out this work.
Prior to arriving at the University, her role was Director of Knowledge Exchange for the Science and Technology Facilities Council, developing the organisation’s strategy for Knowledge Exchange and Economic Impact. During this time she has gained extensive experience of working with industry, of providing hi-tech services, the commercialisation and exploitation of IP and of taking forward public/private partnerships. She was a key person responsible for the establishment of the two national Science and Innovation Campuses at Harwell and Daresbury.
Liz enjoys working at the interface between academia and industry and hopes her in-depth knowledge of the Research Council system and wide-ranging networks with industry, government departments and regional agencies will be of value to the University.
Liz has been instrumental in securing European funding to create the new 3M Buckley Innovation Centre – a flagship hub, supporting spin-in and spin-out companies, linked to the University, providing access to markets, finance, skills and technology. The Centre will act as a catalyst to promote Business to Business and Business to Higher Education collaborations. Liz has been recently appointed the 3M Professor of Innovation at the University and in 2013 was awarded the Queens's Award for Enterprise Promotion, recognising individuals who have played an important role in promoting enterprise skills and supporting entrepreneurs.