The Tech Exploration Lab is thrilled to welcome Tom Yen, Ph.D., as the Lab’s new Associate Director, Emerging Technologies & Innovation Programs!Tom has spent over 30 years leading human-centered product development for major medical technology companies, most recently driving user experience design at BD Diagnostics, where he led global teams shaping product strategy and go-to-market interaction design. He’s also run his own innovation consultancy for three decades, advising companies in heavy Industrial products and consumer product services on product design and process strategy.
Closer to home, Tom previously taught the BME Design course in the College of Engineering and served as Technical Director of the UW IoT Lab, so he’s brought this same blend of industry rigor and applied innovation to campus before.
In this new role, Tom will direct project work and student engagement across the Lab’s three tracks: Venture Pathway, Industry Innovation, and Innovation Translation, while serving as a key point of contact for our industry and campus partners. Please join us in giving Tom a warm welcome back to UW!
About the Lab:
The UW Tech Exploration Lab connects students from across campus with industry partners, researchers, and alumni to explore, build, and commercialize ideas at the intersection of emerging technologies and real-world challenges.
Led by the Wisconsin School of Business in collaboration with the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, the Lab has grown fast since launching last year with hundreds of students, dozens of ventures and projects, and a deepening bench of industry and alumni mentors.