Formed in December 2017, the Oregon State University Impact Studio is a place for teams of faculty, students, and staff to develop, test and incubate bold ideas that will advance the University’s strategic goals.

The Impact Studio formalizes and continues an effort begun in 2016-17 that engaged stakeholders across the campus to identify and evaluate a series of ideas for their academic merit and capacity to generate net revenue for the University. The Gateway Program was the first such initiative to gain approval for the Incubation Phase with appropriate stakeholder engagement and shared governance.

Meet the Impact Studio Director

Rich Duncombe is the Director of the Impact Studio. Rich has built organizations within Fortune 50 technology companies and universities that expand the portfolio of those organizations. He is passionate about catalyzing initiatives that make a positive impact. Rich builds innovation systems that advance an organization’s mission, deliver growth, change the culture, and motivate employees. His leadership includes company founder, business unit VP and university director. Rich has a MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of California Berkeley and a BSEE from Oregon State University.

 

What is the role of the Impact Studio Director?

The Director of the Impact Studio applies their direct experience advancing innovation in the corporate and higher education sectors to facilitate the work of teams of faculty, students, and staff engaged in developing new initiatives for potential investment at the department, school, college, and university levels. The Director assists in the launch, incubation, and transfer of programs that grow the University beyond its existing portfolio and audiences. The Director reports to the Provost with guidance from the Impact Studio Advisory Board.

How does the Impact Studio contribute to OSU Strategy?
  • The Provost and Impact Studio Advisory Board guide the director to maximize the external impact and strategic alignment from the Impact Studio Portfolio.
  • The Impact Studio collaborates with colleges, divisions, centers, and programs to identify and advance promising initiatives.
  • The Impact Studio provides thought leadership in the selection and adoption of effective and efficient methodologies to create and advance new initiatives.
  • The Impact Studio creates a culture that attracts the best and most diverse talent from the university and beyond to expand its creative capacity.
  • The Impact Studio provides visibility to the rapidly changing educational technology landscape including partnerships with external thought leaders and consortia.