Ever since I first heard of the opportunity to go to Northwestern University and the Kellogg School of Management to study business, I have wanted to have the opportunity to take part. Yesterday that dream was realised when I got on the plane at Turku to make the 15hr journey to the USA to live, study and work there for 3 months.

To get to this point has been a bit of a bumpy ride, involving rushing to defend my PhD thesis, while trying to make the many arrangements in order get myself a visa, accommodation etc. I would say it’s been worth the stress to get everything finished and finalised. Currently, I am sitting in the leafy suburb of Evanston in a lovely old colonial style house, on the edge of one of the prettiest university campus’ I have had privilege to be part of.

The purpose of my visit here is to take part in the Kellogg School of Management course: Management for Scientists and Engineers, which runs one day a week through the summer. On the other days, I hope to intern at Northwestern University’s Innovation and New Ventures Office (INVO), where the commercialisation of inventions made at the university happens. I will also spend time researching and writing a business plan for a joint project between ÅA and NU. From all of this I hope to acquire some new knowledge and skills in business, finance and entrepreneurship. Above all else, I aim to learn more about the processes behind how universities and inventors can make the most from discoveries made at the university. It is this knowledge I want to bring back to ÅA to help improve the existing processes of technology transfer. After all, there is little point spending lots of money on discovering novel methods or molecules if they cannot be put to good use.