Dr. Dedric A. Carter

Dr. Dedric A. Carter is the first Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Chief Commercialization Officer at Washington University in St. Louis.  Tasked with providing vision and strategy to advance the culture of innovation across the university, strengthen intellectual property assets for licensing, and identify new ventures and opportunities in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, he will engage with internal and external partners to build and grow the innovation activities in all departments and schools.

Prior to this new role, Carter served as Vice Chancellor for Operations & Technology Transfer at the university.  Dr. Carter is also professor of engineering practice in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering.  In his senior administration role, Dr. Carter is a member of the University Council and he has served as university officer for key operations functions including dining and food services, campus card services, Whittemore House (faculty club), parking and transportation, summer programs and conferences, procurement and resource management, environmental health and safety and the Office of Technology Management (technology transfer office).  The Office of the Operations and Technology Transfer generates over $50 million in revenue with over 500 employees/employee equivalents impacting over $1 billion in spending for the University.

Dr. Carter holds an additional appointment as senior lecturer for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the John M. Olin School of Business and he teaches courses in systems applications to technical, business, and policy issues with an emphasis on the entrepreneurial process and new venture creation.  Dr. Carter’s previous roles at Washington University include both Associate Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, as well as Associate Dean of Engineering for international education and research.

Prior to joining Washington University, Dr. Carter served as the senior advisor for strategic initiatives in the Office of the Director at the U.S. National Science Foundation in addition to serving as the executive secretary to the U.S. National Science Board executive committee.

Prior to his work at the NSF, Dr. Carter was an assistant dean of Engineering at MIT with responsibilities for the School’s development portfolio and strategic initiatives, a senior principal consultant in IT strategy and management, and an entrepreneur (helping to start a Softbank venture-backed company).

Dr. Carter has an undergraduate and graduate degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management, and a PhD in Information Systems from Nova Southeastern University.  He also studied as a senior executive fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Dr. Carter is an active member of the St. Louis community, serving as a board member of the Saint Louis Art Museum, Academy of Sciences St. Louis, Junior Achievement of St. Louis, and the Rep (Executive Committee), Delmar Devine (Executive Committee) in addition to serving as a board observer for the Cortex Innovation Community.  Dr. Carter serves as a director and chairman of the Missouri Technology Corporation appointed by Governor Parsons.  He currently chairs the Missouri Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strategic Plan Steering Committee.

Dr. Carter is a former trustee of MIT and the UVA School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, as well as a member of the Carnegie Mellon Presidential Advisory Committee on the CMU Experience and an appointed member of the Board of Directors of the MIT Alumni Association. He is a frequent presenter on the topic of regional catalysis and acceleration of innovation and entrepreneurial activities both nationally and internationally.

He was founding co-PI on a $5 million National Science Foundation grant for increasing under-represented minority capacity in STEM.  Dr. Carter was also selected as a 2018-19 Fellow in the National Association of College and University Business Officers (a year-long program designed to identify, connect, enrich, and develop future chief business and administrative officers in higher education).

Dr. Carter and his wife Dr. Ebony B. Carter lived on campus for four years with their three daughters as the Faculty Fellows of Wayman Crow Residential College on the Washington University South 40.  He currently serves as the U.S. Scholars Ambassador in the McDonnell Academy for International Scholars.