Monthly news, events & updates
Building a Rainforest in the Desert | November 2020
Save the Date: 2021 Virtual University of New Mexico Business and Economic Summit
January 12, 2021
UNM Rainforest Closed November 26-27 in Observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday
Upcoming Events
UNM Rainforest Innovations Announces 2021 Gap Funding for Four Proposals
The UNM Rainforest Innovations Co-investment Fund Committee approved four proposals this year for fiscal year 2021 Gap funding. In September, UNM Rainforest Innovations issued its tenth call for proposals to further develop an early-stage, unlicensed UNM technology previously disclosed to UNM Rainforest Innovations. The goal of the funding is to increase the chances of a UNM technology being successfully licensed by industry or become the basis of a new start-up company.
In the Spotlight - Featured Inventor
2018 Rainforest Innovation Fellow
Sang M. Han, Ph.D.
Regents Professor
Associate Chair
Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering
Director, Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering
Member, Center for High Technology Materials
The University of New Mexico

Dr. Han is recognized for his unique technologies that combine elements of chemical and electrical engineering to find solutions to renewable energy and energy conservation. Dr. Han has over 25 years of experience in electronic materials engineering and fabrication and is developing a portfolio of technologies related to these areas.
Deconstructing Products and Services: How Innovation Produces Value
November 10 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (MST)
Many successful products and services resulting from innovation is no different from the innovation that takes place on University campuses. This presentation will look at some well-known products and services and the innovation that produced them.

The presentation will also cover how University innovation is most likely Disruptive Innovation, the most valuable form of innovation, and Social Innovation (whose objective is to solve community-wide problems) can produce a wide range of intellectual properties that help produce value and achieve the goals of the innovation effort.
Presented by Chuck Valauskas, JD, LLM, Valauskas Corder LL (Chicago)
UNM Rainforest Innovations Showcase
November 10 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. (MST)
UNM Rainforest Innovations is hosting its second virtual Innovation Showcase to feature the latest developments in research and technology from the University of New Mexico. Six researchers will present spanning life-science and physical-science technologies. This virtual event will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, and industry representatives to learn more about commercialization opportunities.

Agenda details:

3:00 p.m.  Welcome & UNM Rainforest Innovations Introduction

3:15 p.m.  Life Science Technology Presentations

  1. Christina Salas, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Orthopedic Research: 3D Bioprinting and Near-Field Electrospinning for Targeted Fabrication of Scaffolds for Bone-Soft Tissue Interface Engineering
  2. Surojit Paul, Ph.D., Professor, Neurosciences: Therapeutic Potential of the Tyrosine Phosphatase STEP in Reducing Ischemic Brain Injury
  3. Ke Jian (Jim) Liu, Ph.D., Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences: Blood Biomarker for Early Blood Brain Barrier Disruption in Ischemic Stroke

4:00 p.m. Physical Sciences & Engineering Technology Presentations

  1. Marek Osinski, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering: Integrated Silicon Photonics Platforms for Scalable Quantum Systems
  2. Kannan Ramaiyan, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Chemical & Biological Engineering: Low Cost, Printable Colorimetric UV Personal Dosimetry
  3. Mansoor Sheik-Bahae, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Physics & Astronomy: Optical Cryocooler & Refrigeration Portfolio

4:45 p.m.  Additional Questions & Closing Remarks
Dr. David Whitten has over 50 year of experience as a scientist and an academic. He joined the University of New Mexico in 2005 and has since excelled as an inventor, disclosing 33 technologies and has received 17 issued patents. He was selected as a Distinguished Professor in 2016 and is the Associate Director for the Center for Biomedical Engineering. He also serves as Associate Editor for ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.
UNM Rainforest Forum CABQ Economic Development Presentation
November 19, 4:00-5:00 p.m. (MST)
Join us to hear from Synthia Jaramillo, Director, Economic Development, City of Albuquerque, on the City's plan to position Albuquerque to step into its future.
Attend Upcoming Virtual Open Office Hours
Stacy Sacco
Mr. Stacy Sacco teaches entrepreneurial studies at the Anderson School of Management, serves as the Director of the UNM Small Business Institute and is President of Sacco Connections, a management consulting firm.

Mr. Sacco will be available for one on one mentoring where he will give guidance, coaching and perspective to enhance entrepreneurship and provide connections to resources at UNM and in the community. There are many resources available to those who have ideas that they may want to turn into a business!

Upcoming Rainforest Mentoring Office Hours:

November 13, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (MST)
John Chavez
Mr. John Chavez served as the President of the New Mexico Angels from 2008 – 2020 and has been an active angel investor since 2003. Mr. Chavez is also the Managing Director of Phase One Ventures, a start-up fund out of Santa Fe, NM, and Managing Director of New Mexico Start-Up Factory I and II. Outside of the Angels, he is the President of Tafoya and Brainerd Partners, LLC, a nationwide business development-consulting firm. Prior to his work in consulting, Mr. Chavez was appointed Cabinet Secretary of the Taxation and Revenue Department by New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. During his six-year tenure as tax secretary he also served as the President of the Federation of Taxation Administrators for one year.

Meet virtually with mentor John Chavez for one on one discussions about your business ideas and receive guidance regarding your entrepreneurial, pursuits.

Mentoring for Entrepreneurs:

November 20, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. (MST)
UNM Rainforest Innovations | Website