Corinne Peek-Asa

Vice Chancellor for Research
cpeekasa@ucsd.edu

Dr. Peek-Asa joins UC San Diego from the University of Iowa, where she served as the Lowell G. Battershell Distinguished Professor and associate dean for Research in the university’s College of Public Health. A pioneer in the field of international injury and violence epidemiology, she currently directs one of six NIH-funded International Trauma Training Programs and previously served as the director of the interdisciplinary CDC-funded Injury Prevention Research Center from 2006 to 2020. Peek-Asa is distinguished for her work in injury prevention and policy science, including programs addressing road safety, interpersonal violence, acute care and workplace violence. As founding principal investigator of an NIH-funded International Trauma Training Program, she introduced sustainable violence and injury research and training in eleven institutions throughout the world, including the implementation of the first trauma registries in eight institutions in five countries.

Paul Roben

Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation & Commercialization
pwroben@ucsd.edu

Paul Roben, Ph.D., oversees the OIC to establish a campus-wide innovation platform in service of three goals- 1) build a systemic and sustainable innovation culture, 2) create a vibrant regional ecosystem, and 3) accelerate the commercialization of UC San Diego inventions. Working with the Vice Chancellor for Research in this position since June 2015, Paul Roben, Ph.D., is transforming the functions provided by the Technology Transfer Office, Industry Research Alliances, and Industry Contracting into an integrated organization to include patenting, strategic corporate research partnering and industry contracts. Previously, he was Senior Director of Office Technology Development at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, working with multiple academic institutes to develop strategic processes to drive innovation alliances, and help translate their research programs into products for patients and society.

Greg Horowitt

Director - Innovation Design
ghorowitt@ucsd.edu

Greg Horowitt is the cofounder and Managing Director of T2 Venture Creation and has spent 25+ years working in startups and venture capital. He is the co-author of the bestselling book, The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley and has consulted on innovation with top organizations like the Aspen Institute, National Academies of Science, World Bank, and US Department of State. He worked under Warren Buffett as an executive at a Berkshire Hathaway operating company, is a Kauffman Fellow, and has been a founder, investor, and board member in many leading organizations.

Faisal Ali

Director - Chief of Finance and Operations
f7ali@ucsd.edu

Faisal Ali is responsible for the central budgeting, financial, human resources, facilities, technical operations, and general administration of the Office of Innovation and Commercialization. As the senior business manager at OIC, Faisal collaborates closely with the Associate Vice Chancellor, playing a pivotal role in the department's administrative leadership. Prior to Faisal’s appointment as the Chief of Finance and Operations in June 2022, he served as the Finance Manager at OIC for four years overseeing OIC’s IP Finance group and inventor share distributions. Faisal began his University of California, San Diego career in 2017 as a Financial Analyst at the Department of Medicine moving into progressively responsible leadership positions. Faisal earned B.S. in Accounting from SDSU and M.S. in Management & leadership from WGU.