Tenure: February 2026 to May 2026
Dr. Shiri Breznitz is a globally recognized expert in economic geography, specializing in innovation policy, technology commercialization, and regional economic development. She is the Roz and Ralph Halbert Professor of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and is cross appointed to the Strategy Area at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. She currently serves as Director of Research at the Munk School.
Dr. Breznitz's research focuses on how innovation systems evolve outside of major tech hubs, and how public policies, especially those related to universities, intellectual property, and local innovation networks, can support inclusive and resilient economic development. She has advised on the role of universities in innovation, the economic impact of biotechnology and intellectual property, and how regional innovation hubs drive growth. Her work bridges theory and policy, and has influenced decision-makers at local, provincial, and international levels.
She is the author of The Fountain of Knowledge (Stanford University Press, 2014), which examines the complex relationships between universities, government, and industry through a biotechnology lens. She also co-edited University Technology Transfer: The globalization of academic innovation (Routledge, 2016), exploring how academic knowledge is commercialized around the world. In addition, Dr. Breznitz has published over 45 academic articles and book chapters on innovation policy, university–industry linkages, and the economic role of postsecondary institutions.
Her leadership in the field includes serving as Editor-in-Chief of Progress in Economic Geography, as a member of the Scientific Board of the Journal of Technology Transfer, and as part of the Executive Leadership Team at Medicine by Design. She also served on the Ontario Expert Panel on Intellectual Property and its IP Implementation Panel and was Co-Principal Investigator of the 2018 University of Toronto Alumni Impact Survey.
As the 2026 Jocelyne Bourgon Visiting Scholar, Dr. Breznitz will offer her expertise on how innovation systems develop across different regions and sectors, and how institutional and policy environments influence economic outcomes. Her work will contribute to the broader understanding of innovation, higher education, and regional economic resilience across the public service.
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