IU hopes new position will jump start technology startups

Indiana University hopes a newly created job at the school will help technology research make the jump from the laboratory to the business world.

The university on Monday named William B. Stephan as the new vice president of engagement, a job that comes with a $240,000 salary. Stephan, who will start working for IU in September, has been senior vice president of community relations and corporate communications at Clarian Health Partners since 2005.

Purdue University has garnered attention for its research park's business incubators that help budding high-tech businesses grow before moving to larger spaces. Purdue recently announced its plans to build another research park near the Indianapolis International Airport to attract new startup companies and thousands of jobs over the next decade.

Michael McRobbie, who took over July 1 as president of IU, said the two schools should be partners, not rivals.

"Our competition with Purdue should be restricted to the football field and the basketball court," McRobbie said. "Outside of that, we should be working together at every possible opportunity to advance the interests of the state."

Stephan said Purdue has done an excellent job with its research parks.

"There's an opportunity for us to work more closely with our colleagues there," he said. "We're hopeful there will be new relationships and collaborations to allow us to ramp up in this area."

Stephan will be based in Indianapolis but will regularly visit every IU campus around the state.