Governor Names NJIT President to Commission on Science, Technology and Innovation

Gov. Phil Murphy has named eight people, including NJIT President Joel S. Bloom, to the recently re-established New Jersey Commission on Science, Technology and Innovation in conjunction with his efforts to strengthen New Jersey’s innovation economy.

The commission will receive $1 million to redevelop infrastructure in New Jersey and will be comprised of 17 members that include the secretary of higher education, the commissioner of education and the CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Joining this group and President Bloom will be other leaders of academia and industry.

When it was first created in the 1980s, the Commission on Science, Technology and Innovation became a major research funding source for Rutgers, Princeton and NJIT. In particular, the commission funding served to help launch NJIT's foray as a research university. As an assistant commissioner of education in Gov. Tom Kean's administration at that time, President Bloom participated in the commission meetings. In Bloom’s initial meeting with Gov. Murphy, prior to his candidacy for governor, President Bloom strongly advocated for the restart of the commission, which will look to restore New Jersey as a dominant player in STEM industries and serve as a hub of innovation.

President Bloom said of the appointment, “The economy of today and of the future are and will be driven by technological innovation. That is true across all industries, because technology both creates new products and advances the processes which are used to create, maintain and improve existing products.  So, I am very happy to see the return of the Commission on Science, Technology and Innovation and to have the opportunity to serve as a member.”