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��������’s Dana J. Vouglitois Receives Prestigious Fulbright IEA Award

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Florida Atlantic University’s Dana J. Vouglitois, senior associate director of the Office of Technology Development within the Division of Research, has received a Fulbright International Education Administrator (IEA) Award. The prestigious U.S.-France IEA Award will enable Vouglitois to study the international impact of technology transfer in the United States and France, with a focus on strategies for building and sustaining effective university-industry partnerships.

The Fulbright IEA Awards are two-week funded seminars for U.S. higher education administrators designed to provide participants with a deeper understanding of higher education systems abroad, facilitate the exchange of best practices, and foster international institutional partnerships. The program also helps strengthen universities’ global engagement efforts by encouraging cross-cultural collaboration and expanding opportunities for research, innovation and academic exchange.

“This Fulbright award is a testament to Dana’s expertise and contributions in her field,” said Gregg Fields, Ph.D., �������� vice president for research. “Her participation in the Fulbright IEA seminar in France will help to advance Florida Atlantic University’s international education goals by strengthening global research engagement, expanding international partnerships, and embedding internationally informed practices into the university’s innovation ecosystem.”

As part of the program, Vouglitois will travel to Amiens, Rouen and Paris in October for a series of institutional visits and collaborative engagements with French universities and research organizations. Through the seminar, she will contribute practical expertise on the U.S. intellectual property system, industry engagement models, and the negotiation of research agreements with U.S. companies. She also will share perspectives on organizational and cultural differences between American and European universities, particularly as they relate to research translation and public-private partnerships. Following the seminar, Vouglitois plans to collaborate with French counterparts to launch a pilot exchange focused on technology transfer best practices and will share insights from the experience through workshops and collaborations across ��������.

“I am honored and excited to receive this Fulbright award for a seminar in France, a country with a rich legacy of leadership in science, technology and the arts – fields deeply influenced by intellectual property law,” said Vouglitois. “This intersection of research, culture and public stewardship closely aligns with Florida Atlantic University’s commitment to global engagement and academic excellence.”

In her current role at ��������, Vouglitois provides institution-wide leadership in research translation and innovation strategy. She oversees the protection and commercialization of a complex intellectual property portfolio, negotiates domestic and international research agreements, supports startup formation, and advises on external partnership development. She also plays a key role in expanding the university’s international reach by developing partnerships with universities and corporations worldwide and supporting faculty and students from diverse international backgrounds. In addition, she serves as an adjunct professor in ��������’s College of Business, teaching intellectual property law.

Vouglitois is a patent attorney admitted to practice in Florida, New York and New Jersey, as well as before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). She earned a Juris Doctor and a Master of Music degree from the University of Miami, a Bachelor of Arts in communication from Georgian Court University and completed advanced undergraduate coursework in biological sciences at ��������.

Prior to joining ��������, Vouglitois served as counsel for the Florida Institute for Commercialization of Public Research, a state-supported organization focused on accelerating the commercialization of university-developed technologies, and as acting rights and clearances counsel at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York.

Vouglitois is also actively engaged in professional and community leadership as co-chair of the Palm Beach/Treasure Coast Chapter of BioFlorida and as a board member of the Florida chapter of ChiPs. In 2024, the National Academy of Inventors and the USPTO selected Vouglitois as one of only 16 Invention Ambassadors nationwide to promote best practices in academic innovation and research translation.

“Technology transfer bridges academic research with real-world solutions to global challenges,” said Vouglitois. “My appreciation for global culture – especially the intersection of science, technology and the arts – was shaped early by my upbringing with a father, who is a nuclear engineer and a mother, who is an artist, as well as by my experiences as a ballet dancer and flutist, disciplines deeply rooted in French cultural traditions.”

�������� maintains a growing network of international partnerships that support joint research, faculty and student exchange, collaborative academic programs, and innovation-driven engagement across Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. The university’s international collaborations align closely with its interdisciplinary research strengths and commitment to global innovation and discovery.

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Tags: technology | research | faculty and staff