Experts in Residence

Experts in Residence program helps students, faculty, and staff just beginning their entrepreneurial path learn from those who have been down a similar road. The mentors are a group of successful entrepreneurs, business leaders, and alumni who devote at least two hours a month to help those interested in varied aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Through individual sessions, I&E events and workshops, and informal connections, students and faculty receive tailored and targeted guidance from mentors who have experience in certain career paths or experiences.

The following goals are the foundation for the Experts in Residence program’s mission:

Provide advice to students who have an entrepreneurial interest
Support students in developing their network
Provide career and professional expertise
Inspire students to achieve their own success
Offer advice on furthering start-up companies

Becoming a Mentor

Experienced mentors have a lot to offer and engage with students and faculty members in different situations. Mentors offer their guidance and assistance in varied ways:

Meet with and advising students and faculty interested in innovation and entrepreneurship
Participate in the classroom
Attend or facilitate a workshop through our innovative programs or student clubs
Participate or serve as a competition judge
Join us as a guest, guest speaker, or panelist at one of our special events
Hold in-person or virtual office hours
Join any of WPI’s Tech Advisors Network (TAN) events
Participate in the annual Innovation & Entrepreneurship roundtable
Facilitate or participate during Embark workshops

For questions or to learn more about Experts in Residence program please email us at i e@wpi.edu. Mentors may not be reserved for event speaking opportunities.

Mitra Anand

Advanced Technology and Prototyping Specialist, Makerspace and Prototyping Expert

WPI areas of study related to Mitra’s experience: Biomedical Engineering, Business, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical & Materials Engineering, Physics, and Robotics Engineering

What can I talk to Mitra about today?

Product Design
3D Printing
Laser Cutting
Prototyping
PCB Design
Design Thinking
Mechanical Engineering
Robotics Engineering
Mechatronics Systems
Microcontrollers
MakerBucks

Learn more about Mitra:

LinkedIn

Contact Mitra

Finn Arnold

Vice President Research and Emerging Business, Bose Corp (retired)

WPI areas of study related to Finn’s experience: Business, Entrepreneurship, Systems Engineering, Learning Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Acoustics, Management Engineering, Leadership.

What can I talk to Finn about today?

Product engineering
Career planning
Engineering and business leadership
Framing problems and prioritizing results
Influence
Customer discovery
People management
Innovation
Effective Brainstorming

Learn more about Finn:

LinkedIn

Contact Finn

Anthony Coston

President/Consultant- Elise William Ventures (EWV)

WPI areas of study related to Anthony’s experience: Biology, Biology & Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Bioscience Management, Business, Business Analytics, Business Administration, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Supply Chain Management

What can I talk to Anthony about today?

Customer Discovery
Medical Devices
Pharmaceutical Product Development
Project Management
Strategic Partnerships
Design Controls/FDA Regulations- Medical Devices & OSD Pharmaceutical

Learn more about Anthony: LinkedIn

Contact Anthony

Jim Baum

Tech Growth CEO, Board Member, Advisor & Investor

WPI areas of study related to Jim’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Computer Science, Data Science, Entrepreneurship, Information Technology, and Operations Analytics & Management

What can I talk to Jim about today?

Business Strategy & Development
Business Scaling
Startups
Competitive Analysis
Product Marketing
Go-to-Marketing Strategy
Big Data
Leadership
Strategic Partnerships
Building High Performing Teams

Learn more about Jim:

LinkedIn

Contact Jim

Arjun Gandhi

What can I talk to Arjun about today?

Ideation & Validation
Robotics
Debugging Code
Web Automation
Websites
Software Development & Engineering
CAD, 3D Printing, Prototyping/ Rapid Prototyping
Networking
Interviewing
Job Search
Schedule Planning
Early Stage Startups (Founding to Preseed/Seed)

WPI areas of study related to Arjun's experience: Robotics Engineering, Computer Science, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and UX Design

Rosanna Garcia

What can I talk to Rosanna about today?

Diversity in Entrepreneurship
Sustainable Innovation
Artificial Intelligence
Product Development & Testing
Application Development (wireframes)
Customer Discovery
Social Media Data Mining
Social Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial Marketing

WPI areas of study related to Rosanna's experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Data Science and Entrepreneurship

Charlie Garland

Co-Developer at CubieDx.org & Founder, The Innovation Habit

WPI areas of study related to Charlie’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, Humanities & Arts (Professional Writing & English Minor), Industrial Engineering, Operational Analytics & Management, and Psychology

What can I talk to Charlie about today?

Stimulating Innovation
Design Thinking
Creative Problem Solving
Product Design
Business Development
Business Systems
Marketing
Non-Profit Leadership
Strategy & Operations
Investing

Learn more about Charlie: LinkedIn

Contact Charlie

Jodi Gernon

Director, Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship at

Harvard Business School

WPI areas of study related to Jodi’s experience: Business, Business administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Entrepreneurship

What can I talk to Jodi about today?

Customer Discovery
Business Scaling
MVP Development
User Testing & Validation
Value Proposition
Product Innovation
Go-to-Market Strategy
Leadership
Startups
Pitching
Fundraising
Women Entrepreneurs

Learn more about Jodi: LinkedIn

Contact Jodi

Danielle Gillespie

Technologist | Consultant | Startup Advisor | Entrepreneur

WPI areas of study related to Danielle’s experience:

Entrepreneurship, Software Design & Development, Start Up, Product/Market fit, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Robotics, UI/UX

What can I talk to Danielle about:

product design
product development
product roadmap
launching an idea
collect + analyze usage data
startups (all stages)
teams
pitch deck
early stage financial model
growing a business
career paths
ama

Learn more about Danielle:
LinkedIn

Contact Danielle

Scott Harris

Co-Founder - Onshape & Solidworks

WPI areas of study related to Scott’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, Innovation with User Experience (IUX), Manufacturing Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering

What can I talk to Scott about today?

UX Testing
Product Design
Start-ups (All Stages: Prototype to Product, Testing a Market, Finding Potential Customers)
Design Thinking
Mechanical Engineering
Career Paths
Creating Teams
CNC Machining
3d Printing
Growing a Business & Company
….and much more!

Learn more about Scott: LinkedIn

Contact Scott

Jeremy Hitchcock

Founder - Minim, Dyn, Bookery Manchester

WPI areas of study related to Jeremy’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Entrepreneurship, and Management Information Systems

What can I talk to Jeremy about today?

Team Building
Python
Startups (IoT)
Digital Security
Tech Transfer & Commercialization
Networking
Fundraising
Investing

Learn more about Jeremy: LinkedIn

Contact Jeremy

Liz Hitchcock

Eclectic Entrepreneur - Minim, Bookery, Factory

WPI areas of study related to Liz’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation with User Experience (IUX)

What can I talk to Liz about today?

Engineering Women in Startups
Why Operational Excellence in the Beginning is best for a Startup (legal, hr, cap tables, and bookkeeping)
Funding: Pitching an Angel investor/VC/Syndicate & Bootstrapping
People (partners/employees/customers)

Learn more about Liz: LinkedIn

Contact Liz

Jennifer Jordan

EIR at Techstars Future of Longevity

WPI areas of study related to Jennifer’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Financial Mathematics, and International & Global Studies (Latin America)

What can I talk to Jennifer about today?

Investor Relations
Investing
Financing Strategy
Go-to-Market Strategy
Business Development
Organizational Structuring
Strategic Alignment
Early-Stage Tech Startups
Non-Profits
Social Entrepreneurship

Learn more about Jennifer: LinkedIn

Contact Jennifer

Claire Leurent

Entrepreneur in Residence at National Institutes of Health

WPI areas of study related to Claire’s experience: Biochemistry, Biology, Biology & Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Bioscience Management, Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Chemistry, and Neuroscience

What can I talk to Claire about today?

Project Management
Pharmaceutical R&D
Pharmaceutical Investments

Learn more about Claire: LinkedIn

Contact Claire

Bob Mason

Managing Partner, Argon Ventures & Managing,

Director Project 11

WPI areas of study related to Bob’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, Innovation with User Experience (IUX), and Interactive Media & Game Development

What can I talk to Bob about today?

Strategic Planning
Strategic Partnerships
Product Design
Product Management
Enterprise Sales
Global Markets
Startups (early to late stage)
Pitching
Raising Capital

Learn more about Bob: LinkedIn

Contact Bob

Jerrold M. Shapiro

WPI areas of study related to Jerrold’s experience:

Biomedical engineering, Business School - innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, Capstone projects in healthcare, Doctoral dissertations in biomedical engineering and healthcare

What can I talk to Jerrold about:

Medical instrumentation
Women's health (anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, diseases, treatments, gynecology, urogynecology, SexTech, FemTech)
Medical economics (ICD-10 diagnostic codes, CPT payment codes, what physicians are looking for)
Business (Medical device sales, marketing, negotiation, dealing with physicians)
Clinical Trial design and execution
Regulatory affairs (how to work with the FDA, US and EU regulatory pathways)
How to start, fund and run a medical device business

Learn more about Jerrold:

LinkedIn

Contact Jerrold

Steph Speirs

Co-Founder & CEO at Solstice

WPI areas of study related to Steph’s experience: Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Environmental & Sustainability Studies, International & Global Studies, Science and Technology for Innovation in Global Development, and Social Entrepreneurship

What can I talk to Steph about today?

Social Entrepreneurship
Social Justice
Renewable Energy
Sales & Marketing
International Business
Startups

Learn more about Steph: LinkedIn

Contact Steph

Julianne Zimmerman

Managing Director, Reinventure Capital

WPI areas of study related to Julianne’s experience: Aerospace Engineering, Business, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Business Management, Entrepreneurship, and Social Entrepreneurship

What can I talk to Julianne about today?

Where do I start?
How do I ask the right questions?
Strategic Thinking
Market Approach
Team Building
Social Enterprise
Non-Traditional Funding & Choosing the Right Funding

Learn more about Julianne: LinkedIn

Contact Julianne

Connect with our Experts In Residence

Experts in Residence Interview Series