Van Truskett

Van Truskett is an entrepreneur and chemical engineering expert based in Austin, Texas, who specializes in the commercialization of academic research. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin in 1996 before completing her doctorate in the exact same discipline at Johns Hopkins University. Truskett previously served as the founder and executive director of the Texas Innovation Center, an initiative designed to help university researchers translate their scientific discoveries into practical, market-ready applications. In addition to her professional leadership in the university ecosystem, she established a planned financial gift for unrestricted use at the Cockrell School of Engineering to further support institutional development. Her current focus remains centered on the intersection of scientific innovation and entrepreneurship, facilitating the transition of complex technological research into viable commercial enterprises.