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Anne Vivian-Scott is clearly excited by the calibre of Queen’s researchers and the possibilities of bringing Queen’s inventions and research to the marketplace, through her work at PARTEQ Innovations.

Anne Vivian-Scott

Thoughtful and articulate, she ranges seamlessly in conversation from one research project to the next – from describing the intricacies of an innovative laser technology developed by Professor James Fraser and former PhD student Paul Webster, to explaining the benefits of engineering Professor Praveen Jain’s solar microinverter system.

“I see our role as being that of facilitators,” says Ms. Vivian-Scott, who recently became interim president and CEO of PARTEQ. “We look at what our researchers are doing and how their research can have the most impact on the world. We are literally boiling down those grand statements of wanting to change the world into, yes, that’s wonderful, but how? How do you make that research matter in a really tangible way?”

Making this happen requires significant collaboration with each scientist, as well as ongoing mentorship, with PARTEQ staff often urging the researcher to aim higher and reach farther in their goals to promote and commercialize their work.

“It’s about the products, but it’s also about helping groom and mentor that talent,” says Ms. Vivian-Scott, who manages a staff of 15 and has been with PARTEQ for the past 15 years, most recently as vice-president and executive-in-residence. “We’re working with many different people in the Queen’s community, including the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research), Research Services and Industry Partnerships.”

PARTEQ plays a sometimes delicate role, balancing the needs of industry and companies looking to develop inventions, and the needs of academics. It’s a good fit for Ms. Vivian-Scott, whose work at Queen’s was preceded by experience in both industry and corporate finance. Having worked for numerous years in Nortel’s accounting department and as a chemical engineer for Fluor Daniel on contract to Du Pont, she understands the financial side of business, and the drive to make money, as well as the logistics needed to create a product.

While working as interim president and CEO of PARTEQ, Ms. Vivian-Scott will retain her role of president and CEO of BKIN Technologies, a spin-off company that is transforming the clinical management of brain injuries through its KINARM™ robotic technology.

Looking to the months ahead at PARTEQ, she will be focused on strategic priorities to ensure the organization continues to provide value to the university and to support its innovators.