Tanya DSouza is new director of research development at USD
D’Souza will help manage the university’s efforts to bring the fruits of research to society and aid the economy of the region. USD’s applied research includes antimicrobial materials development, funded by the National Institutes of Health and conducted in the Graduate Education and Applied Research (GEAR) Center in Sioux Falls; and renewable energy research funded by the U.S. Department of Energy on the Vermillion campus. D’Souza is excited about working with USD faculty and researchers and promoting their research initiatives.
“This position is a good fit for Tanya,” noted Laura Jenski, Ph.D., vice president of research and sponsored programs at USD. “She will take over management of the technology transfer office; develop relationships with businesses, industries and communities; and help develop the university’s external message about research and creative activities.”
D’Souza comes to USD after serving as an associate for Faegre & Benson, LLP specializing in intellectual property for the Minneapolis, Minn.-based law firm. Her legal experience includes serving as a summer associate for law firms in Chicago, Ill., and Washington, D.C., as well as associate editor of the Journal of Corporate Law. Prior to earning her law degree, D’Souza served as a graduate research and teaching assistant while earning a Ph.D. in biological sciences.
“I’m looking forward to getting to working with faculty and exploring the different possibilities that are out there for research at USD,” said D’Souza. “It’s both challenging and appealing, but I was looking for the opportunity to return to academics, so it’s nice to be back at a university with closer ties to university researchers.”
A member of the Minnesota State Bar since 2003, D’Souza received a juris doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law and a Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of Iowa. She earned a master’s degree in biotechnology and a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Bombay, Bombay, India. She and her husband, Geoff Larson, have two children, Rohan, 5, and Xereyna, 11 months.
A photo of Tanya is available for download at www.usd.edu/press/news/images/releases/Tanya_DSouza.jpg.