Barry G. Watkins has joined the staff of the Center for Electronic Imaging Systems (CEIS) in the newly created position of industry liaison. Watkins will specialize in initiating the relationships between New York State university researchers and industries to foster the exchange of ideas and talent.
The mission of CEIS is to contribute to the economic growth of the state by establishing premier university-business partnerships in technology research, development and transfer. The new position is designed specifically to promote communications and interactions between the group of universities participating in the center and the businesses that could benefit from the work of the researchers.
Watkins joined the activities at the recent CEIS-sponsored first annual New York State Conference on Microelectronics Design held at Columbia University in New York to meet the researchers in the program.
"There is no substitute for getting out there, meeting people face-to-face and sitting down to discuss business in person," he says.
Watkins brings an extensive background in developing business relationships in several technical fields, including communications software, visual systems, and monitoring equipment. A native of Plymouth, England, Watkins graduated from the Royal Naval Academy and went on to establish his own company, Industrial & Marine Acoustics. He came to New York in 1989 and applied his technical and business skills toward developing a successful marketing career.