On 9 November 2026, Engr. Melissa Boado, Innovation and Technology Transfer Officer (ITTO) of the Saint Louis University (SLU) Research Innovation and Sustainable Extension (RISE) Center, facilitated the pioneering meeting for the Innovation Laboratory Heads from different schools in the University. The meeting took place in the afternoon at the Discussion Room #1 of the Msgr. Charles Vath Building, SLU main campus.
Among the attendees were faculty cum officers-in-charge of innovation laboratories from the School of Accountancy, Management, Computing and Information Studies (SAMCIS), the School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA), the School of Nursing, Allied Health and Biological Sciences (SONAHBS), and the School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts (STELA).
The meeting primarily served as a consultation among the heads of the relevant InnovLabs on the University’s innovation pipeline. This included reviewing each laboratory’s mandate and ensuring the proper identification and documentation of outputs. Support for relaunching the Convergent Resilience Technology Business Incubator (ConRes TBI) was also sought, with January 2027 as the target relaunch date. The pre-existing innovation outputs underscored the need to improve the innovation pipeline to create an organized, reliable, and functional system.
In March 2026, Engr. Boado rolled out an Innovation Lab survey to map laboratory status and capabilities and assess the readiness of innovation laboratories for technology commercialization and collaboration. The survey initially covered 15 laboratories and received nine responses from STELA, SEA, SONAHBS, and SAMCIS. Major findings showed that the University has established a robust infrastructure and provides strong institutional support. However, improvements in funding, technology upgrades, internet access, and staffing also emerged. Engr. Boado also discussed what qualifies as an innovation in the University to give the innovation heads a clearer understanding of their responsibility.
The meeting proceeded with Reviewing the Guidelines on Monitoring of Innovation Laboratories (GL-RIS-016). The document included discussions of roles, mandates, and the management of innovation laboratories. The guidelines also indicated that the ITTO is responsible for implementation, monitoring, and reporting activities conducted in the labs. After the presentation, Engr. Boado encouraged the InnovLab heads to give their comments and suggestions regarding the guidelines.
This initiative directly advances several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), by revitalizing the Convergent Resilience Technology Business Incubator (ConRes TBI) and streamlining the university’s innovation pipeline. Additionally, it supports SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration among laboratory heads across SAMCIS, SONAHBS, STELA, and SEA to drive effective technology adoption. Finally, the meeting aligns with SDG 4 (Quality Education) by strengthening institutional policies for student-led projects and enhancing research mentorship within higher education. (Article and Photos by: Margareth Galuba, SLU RISE Intern)
