GROW
People

Principal Investigator

Joseph Janda, MBA, MS

Assistant Vice President for Innovation, Research and Graduate Studies

Joseph (Joe) Janda has been at the forefront of technology evaluation, intellectual property development, and university startups in the Pacific Northwest since 2004. He oversees the core translational engines of Propel PSU: Innovation & Intellectual Property, the Portland State Business Accelerator, the Metro Region Innovation Hub, and the Center for Entrepreneurship. Joe has guided numerous university spinouts and serves on the Silicon Forest Partnership board, bridging academic research with regional industry needs.

Co-Principal Investigator

Travis Woodland, JD, MSChemEng

Director of Innovation & Intellectual Property

Travis Woodland leads Portland State's technology transfer operations, managing intellectual property harvesting, patent prosecution, and university-industry licensing. His team guides researchers through disclosure and helps translate laboratory discoveries into commercial products. Travis is a key administrator for the University Venture Development Fund and a vital bridge between PSU inventors and external market collaborators.

Co-Principal Investigator

Arsh Haque, JD

Director, Portland State Business Accelerator

Arsh Haque is a founder, venture coach, and director of Oregon's oldest and largest startup accelerator. Previously Head of Product at Pitch Genius, they helped startups and venture capital groups secure more than $200 million in funding. A Techstars alum and former competitive public speaker, Arsh has pioneered inclusive economic models and culturally specific incubation programs for historically underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Co-Principal Investigator

Asad Butt

Director, Metro Region Innovation Hub

Asad Butt is a veteran startup advocate, media professional, and entrepreneur. As lead of the Metro Region Innovation Hub, he serves as a super-connector, guiding university and regional entrepreneurs to resources, capitalization networks, and public-private partnerships. For more than a decade, Asad has built, operated, and advised accelerator programs across the country.

Co-Principal Investigator

Karl Mundorff

Executive Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Oregon State University Accelerator

Karl Mundorff is the key programmatic link to Oregon State University, PSU's mentor institution for GROW. As Executive Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Co-Director of the OSU Advantage Accelerator, he is a national leader in technology transfer and entrepreneurial training. Karl is a founding member of the PTIE Coalition and has spent decades as a serial entrepreneur, clean-tech advocate, and innovation ecosystem builder.

James McNames, Ph.D.

Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. James McNames is a leading researcher in statistical signal processing and biomedical engineering. He founded PSU's Biomedical Signal Processing Laboratory and co-founded APDM Wearable Technologies, commercializing wearable sensor systems that monitor movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease. APDM's later acquisition demonstrates a high-impact path from university research to market.

Theresa McCormick, Ph.D.

Chair and Associate Professor, Chemistry

Dr. Theresa McCormick is an organic chemist specializing in solar fuels, photochemistry, and green chemical applications. She co-founded AirOmatix, which commercialized oxygen separation technology for portable oxygen concentrators. Her recent UVDF-supported work translates laboratory photochemistry into a closed-loop, on-site production model for green hydrogen peroxide.

Ken Stedman, Ph.D.

Professor, Biology

Dr. Ken Stedman is a molecular biologist, leader of the eXtreme Virus Lab, and co-founder of PSU's Center for Life in Extreme Environments. His research on viruses in hot springs and volcanic environments led him to co-found StoneStable, a biotechnology startup using silica coatings to thermally stabilize vaccines and reduce dependence on fragile cold chains.

Rob Strongin, Ph.D.

Professor, Organic Chemistry

Dr. Robert Strongin directs an internationally recognized organic chemistry program and has maintained continuous NIH funding for more than two decades. His lab develops functional dyes for targeted molecular imaging, including a fluorescent agent for pancreatic cancer surgery. He co-founded Elex Biotech for cardiac arrhythmia therapeutics and Captis Biotechnology for cancer diagnostics.

Evan Elkin, MA

Executive Director, Regional Research Institute

Evan Elkin is a public health and juvenile justice reform advocate and Executive Director of Reclaiming Futures, a national program housed in PSU's School of Social Work. His work advances health equity, mental health services, and substance-use interventions for systems-involved youth, scaling public-health models across rural, frontier, and tribal communities.

Brooke Rizor, LCSW

Director, System of Care Institute

Brooke Rizor leads the System of Care Institute within PSU's Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services. She designs and delivers statewide workforce development and system-integration programs across child welfare, mental health, education, and juvenile justice, translating research into sustainable training, peer-support frameworks, and practice transformation.