Chris R. SomervilleProfessor

My research interests are directed towards organizing University-Industry research collaborations. My view is that great research Universities, including UC Berkeley, have unique ability to undertake multidisciplinary investigations of complex problems but that capability is underutilized by industry because of challenges associated with aligning the different cultures of academia and industry to facilitate collaboration. My approach is to first understand the long-term goals of major corporations with significant research and development activities, and then to understand how the research capabilities of UC Berkeley and partner institutions could be organized to address the needs of industry. I believe that carefully organized and implemented collaborations can address societal needs, such as developing renewable energy, while at the same time supporting the educational mission of the University and the practical needs of industry partners.