Groundbreaking solutions to the most profound societal issues — this is the goal of WashU’s strategic initiative “Here and Next.” As a strategy professor, I find this vision statement to be particularly inspiring. It defines the university’s mission, character, and offerings. In essence, this vision conveys who we are, our purpose, and our actions. Straightforward, lucid, persuasive — just like any effective strategy ought to be.
Moreover, I feel a personal connection to this vision. Indeed, it was this very vision that drew me from my position at Northwestern’s Kellogg Business School to the deanship here at WashU Olin. Each morning, well before dawn, I engage with a popular puzzle game app, tackling challenges that include words, numbers, and geometry. Like many scholars, it’s problems that intrigue me. And, akin to numerous academics, it’s the systematic journey toward a solution that motivates me.
Of course, the challenges WashU seeks to address extend far beyond mere online puzzles like Wordle. Our ambitions are directed toward entrenched, intricate issues. The puzzles we face are those without a complete image on the box lid and many missing components. It is our responsibility to infer the overall picture and generate the elements that, when assembled, constitute a resolution.
Health, climate, economic vitality — I can hardly name issues more ingrained or solutions more essential. These subjects necessitate our collaboration across disciplines and beyond the confines of the university. It is these types of challenges that call for WashU to unify our fields, our community, and the world around us.
In particular, health is a domain where WashU can assume a pivotal role. WashU Medicine ranks among the nation’s top medical schools, and the new School of Public Health presents a chance to revolutionize the discipline. Addressing the multifaceted health challenges — innovation, care costs, equity, workforce — necessitates a business perspective.
In Olin’s new strategic initiative, “All Together Now,” we have prioritized the business of health. The combined strengths of our university, along with our region and alumni, create an exceptional opportunity for our business school to collaborate in generating solutions and making an impact. Consequently, Olin is enhancing our educational offerings, investing in our research efforts, and forging partnerships with the medical school for commercialization. Our goal is to cultivate more leaders, insights, and entrepreneurs within the health sector.
The commercial application of discoveries occurring in our medical school is an area particularly ripe for collaboration. Our researchers are consistently generating new knowledge. Yet, many have never assessed a market or conducted a competitive analysis — precisely the skills a business school imparts daily. Therefore, we are working to educate principal investigators on fundamental business principles, forming project teams of MBA students to assist in entrepreneurial endeavors, and bringing together a community of investors and business practitioners.
“Our researchers are consistently generating new knowledge. Yet, many have never assessed a market or conducted a competitive analysis — precisely the skills a business school imparts daily.”
Mike Mazzeo
We are in the initial phases of this endeavor or, to continue with my metaphor, we are just starting to place the puzzle pieces into position. We are also positioning ourselves to create new pieces — elements that, just months ago, no one anticipated we could help develop. I am encountering remarkable collaborators in this journey such as David Perlmutter, MD, the George and Carol Bauer Dean of WashU Medicine, and Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, the Margaret C. Ryan Dean of the new School of Public Health. These collaborations reflect the cooperative spirit of WashU.
A truly transformative solution necessitates that we extend beyond the boundaries of WashU. It requires more than one hand to assemble all the pieces. Fortunately, in my time at WashU, I have discovered numerous individuals eager to contribute to this endeavor we call our university. I encourage you, too, to connect with me with any insights or connections. Together, we can develop transformative solutions to the most profound societal issues.
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