Barth appointed to Science and Research Council
Charleston, W.Va. — Anne Barth, executive director of TechConnect West Virginia, has been selected by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin to serve on the Science & Research Council of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Barth will serve a term ending June 30, 2019.
The Science & Research Council works to increase the capacity of Wet Virginia and its colleges and universities to attract, implement and use cutting-edge, competitive research funds and infrastructure.
Members of the council provide expertise and policy guidance on federal and state programs, including the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), the West Virginia Research Trust Fund, and the Research Challenge Fund.
In her role with TechConnect, Barth directs programs designed to promote innovation-based businesses and entrepreneurial activities across West Virginia.
“Connecting the stakeholders in our innovation ecosystem fosters the types of collaboration that lead to economic growth,” she said, “but it can’t happen without research, which is the critical first step. We must support continued funding for research that can be converted into new companies and new jobs.
She hopes to explore ways to increase research capacity at all higher education institutions in the state, including the primarily undergraduate colleges and universities.