The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) and The Water Council recently announced Dr. David Garman as the new Chief Technology Officer for The Water Council. Dr. Garman will specifically lead The Water Council’s new initiative called the ICE (Innovation Commercialization Exchange) Institute while continuing his role as the associate vice chancellor for water technology, research, and development for UWM.
Demand for freshwater has led to global recognition of the need to bring new water technologies to market. Doing so will require a close collaboration between industry and researchers at top universities and research centers. The new partnership between The Water Council and UWM builds on their already close relationship and gives industry greater access to the scientists associated with the National Science Foundation and other federal laboratories.
“This is a very exciting concept to directly link research labs with global water industry needs. I am pleased to be part of The Water Council team to implement this and would like to thank UWM for its support and foresight in involving me in this important initiative,” said David Garman. “My involvement with a team of professionals to evaluate and match these is in itself an innovation that recognizes both the expertise in the University and the opportunity for transfer to industry.”
At UWM, Garman is responsible for strategic water visioning, stimulating interdisciplinary research and translation of research for industry, major funding acquisition in this area, and new water technology development. He served previously as the executive director of a cooperative research center in Australia – one of the first such centers dedicated to university-industry partnerships for new technology development, in the area of waste management and pollution control. He also successfully led an industry-university cooperative center in environmental biotechnology until he moved to Milwaukee in 2011 as the founding dean of UWM’s School of Freshwater Sciences.
“The Water Council and our members are very fortunate to significantly expand our working relationship with David Garman, who is universally considered one of the few global leaders that can create close ties between industry and research professionals,” said Dean Amhaus, president and CEO of The Water Council. “David’s technical expertise adds a tremendous and essential dimension as we advance the ICE Institute.”
“Public research universities like UW-Milwaukee introduce vital research that drives human, scientific, and technological discovery,” UWM Chancellor Mark Mone said. “David’s dual roles with UWM and The Water Council will accelerate water industry innovations that can be commercialized and benefit society. This kind of engaged research-technology partnership serves as a nexus to link fundamental research with practical applications and global problem solving.”