Bruce Merrifield

Bio

Dr. Merrifield was a visiting Executive Professor of Management at the Wharton School of Business from 1989 until 1994, and during the Reagan Administration was both Assistant Secretary of the Department of Commerce for Technology, and Undersecretary of Economic Affairs. At Commerce, Dr. Merrifield’s office spearheaded landmark legislation to modify the antitrust laws to permit successful technology transfers (the Cooperative R&D Act of 1984) and the Technology Transfer Acts of 1984 and 1986. The office developed the R&D Limited Partnership concept and catalyzed the formation of more than 100 cooperative R&D consortia, involving over 1,000 companies, and many innovation centers or incubators in many states and local communities. In addition, his office initiated the Quality Productivity Award, (later renamed the Baldrige Award), the National Technology Medal, and the program of small business shared “Flexible Computer Integrated Manufacturing Centers.” Prior to Government service, he was Vice President of Technology and Venture Management of the Continental Group. Dr. Merrifield is a past member of the Advisory Board for the Bi-national Research and Development Foundation with Israel and is a current member of similar boards with India and France. He has served as Science Advisor to the Jordanian government and as a member of the Visiting Committee for Research at MIT and at Boston University. Dr. Merrifield is a graduate of Princeton University and holds Master and Doctoral degrees in Physical Organic Chemistry from the University of Chicago.