Dr. Craig C. McLauchlan, associate vice president for Research and Graduate Studies, has named Dr. Harriett Steinbach, M.S. ’05, the director of innovation and strategic partnerships effective December 1. “I am pleased to welcome Dr. Harriett Steinbach to our office as the director of innovation and strategic partnerships,” said McLauchlan.
As director, one of Steinbach’s areas of responsibility will be to drive forward the progress of the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) in our part of the state. Illinois State University is one of 15 member hubs of the IIN, a network of networks based at the public universities that was formed in 2019 to “ensure Illinois’ roles in the 21st century knowledge-based economy.”
The vision of IIN is to drive inclusive and integrated research, innovation, and economic development across Illinois. The mission is to foster collaboration, increase capacity, and integrate systems in education, research, and innovation by connecting people, organizations, and resources. Illinois State was appropriated $3 million of the $500 million capital project, with the majority of the project going to support the formation of Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) in Chicago.
“Dr. Steinbach’s experience with town and gown relationships will be an asset as she helps further establish our IIN hub. We’ve been very successful as a hub in our efforts across the state, but I’m looking forward to seeing Dr. Steinbach make concrete progress in our innovation and incubation efforts,” said McLauchlan.
“I am excited to showcase the excellent research happening at Illinois State and elevate our profile within the IIN,” said Steinbach. “I’m looking forward to learning from the other IIN hubs and talking with campus and community stakeholders. That will be my first steps so that I can craft a strategic plan for Illinois State’s efforts.”
Steinbach has worked in various roles at Illinois State University since 2006. For the last four years, she has served as the interim director, assistant director, and most recently the associate director at the Center for Civic Engagement.
Steinbach holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and history with a minor in communications from Eureka College, a master’s degree in political science from Illinois State University, and a doctorate in public administration from the University of Illinois Springfield.
