Georgia State Hires Chief Innovation Officer

Georgia State University has hired its first chief innovation officer.

The university hired Phil Ventimiglia, former NCR Corporation vice president for innovation and new product development. Ventimiglia started the position week and will head the university’s Information Systems and Technology Department. He also plans to explore new technology solutions both in and out of the classroom.

“My position on this that it’s that it’s not to go and remove the classroom from the equation but really to augment the classroom with other modalities of learning.”

At this point, Ventimiglia says he’s hesitant to say exactly what technologies the university will use. But he says his hope is to enhance connections and the transfer of knowledge between professors, experts throughout the world and students.

“That’s when learning happens is in that transfer of knowledge, and so how can you use technologies to expand that and broaden it, so now a student can have that transfer of knowledge wherever they are. Maybe they’re on a road trip to spring break and they’re still learning via a mobile application.”

University officials say the new position will be transformative. Officials say it will help Georgia State as it continues to look for creative and innovative strategies to support its goal of being a top urban research university.