Through a collaboration between Dixie State University’s College of Business and Communication and College of Science and Technology, the university’s new Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center creates and supports a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship at the school. There, Dr. Wayne Provost, director of innovation guidance and solutions at DSU, assists students and community members in developing ideas into patents and businesses.
“Everybody has a great idea every once in a while,” said Provost. “The patent process is kind of a scary thing if you’ve never done it before. It’s an unknown world, so I want to be able to walk them through the process.”
Provost, a Utah and dental surgeon, has founded and owned 11 businesses in addition to having multiple patents and pending patents, including ones for a resealable box top, dental fiber optics, illuminated infusion lines and medical software. For the last 40 years, he has helped others turn their ideas into businesses and will continue to do so at DSU as he helps students and residents develop their ideas and creations into patent and/or business propositions.
Provost, who started at DSU in October, is already helping eight students, one faculty member, and five community members through the potential patent process.
After an individual or group comes to the center with an idea, Provost assists with patent research to ensure the idea is original, organizes a focus group to discuss the idea and its feasibility, aids in patent research, assists in the construction of a prototype or proof of concept, finds appropriate business partners, and helps the owner through the application and submission process.
“Our goal is to start businesses and keep them in St. George,” Provost said. “There’s a lot of talented people here, and we want to encourage those people to stay local.”
Provost is also helping university administration create a vision for embedding innovation into the academic curriculum and sustaining and supporting a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship on campus.
“It’s a dream come true, “Provost said. “I’m doing what I’ve done my entire life … but now I get to help students in an amazing place. The time is really right at Dixie, and I can see tremendous growth and opportunity.”
The Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center is currently housed in DSU’s Ernö and Etel Udvar-Hazy School of Business building. More information is available by contacting Provost at wayne.provost@dixie.edu.
Articles related to “Dr. Wayne Provost facilitates patents at DSU’s Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center”
