New Mexico Tech Announces Dr. Myrriah Chavez Tomar As New Executive Director of Office of Innovation Commercialization

sept 20, 2021


Dr. Tomar comes to NMT after three years as the Director of the Office of Science and Technology at the State of New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD).

Profile image of Dr. Myrriah Chavez Tomar
Dr. Myrriah Chavez Tomar

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 20, 2021

SOCORRO, N.M. - Dr. Myrriah Chavez Tomar has been named Executive Director of the Office of Innovation Commercialization Business and Technology Management and will lead and manage New Mexico Tech's intellectual property, contribute to the university's economic development efforts, and further develop NMT as an entrepreneurial university.

NMT President Dr. Stephen Wells said: "I am very pleased to welcome Dr. Tomar to NMT as she brings expertise in technology transfer and commercialization, industry startup research, and economic development."

During her three years at the State of New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD), Dr. Tomar led the state's efforts to connect New Mexico's innovations to the commercial market. She helped foster the state's technology and industry sectors, including Aerospace, Biosciences, Cybersecurity, and Intelligent Manufacturing, and she created the statewide cybersecurity initiative, CyberReady, which prepares New Mexico businesses for new cybersecurity requirements set forth by the federal government. 

Dr. Tomar is a native New Mexican who holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of New Mexico and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She also holds many professional memberships, including Chair of the Research Collaborative Board, Catalyst Fund Limited Partner Advisory Committee, EPSCoR State Committee, Los Alamos National Laboratory Tech Commercialization Advisory Board, and Bioscience Authority Center of Excellence. Dr. Tomar said: "I look forward to working with NMT's students and faculty and to continuing the momentum of New Mexico Tech's STE²M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Mathematics) initiative as an entrepreneurial university."

While at EDD, Dr. Tomar worked directly with CEOs and investors from both in and out of state and connected business professionals with emerging technologies developed by innovators in New Mexico's universities and national laboratories. Dr. Tomar previously worked at the Rice University technology transfer office evaluating faculty invention disclosures for patentability and commercial viability.

– NMT –