Spotlight on Dave Chapman

What is your role and what does it involve?

I run a number of courses for budding entrepreneurs at UCL. These include undergraduate and MSc "taught" programmes alongside a range of extra-curricular activities delivered through UCL Advances.

As Vice Dean for enterprise in Engineering I see my role as communicating the benefits of closer collaboration between industry and academia whilst trying to minimise barriers to effective knowledge exchange between UCL academics and our external partners.

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?

My disciplinary background is Mapping and Geographic Information Systems. During my time at UCL I have contributed to many exciting initiatives including the creation of an MSc in Geographic Information Science and the formation of UCL's interdisciplinary Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA). I also worked in UCL's Technology Transfer Office before returning to an academic role to help set up the Department of Management Science and Innovation and UCL Advances.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

Along with the satisfaction of seeing my UCL spin-out successfully harness new photogrammetric methods to solve real engineering challenges I get immense pride from supporting the growth of new companies spawned entrepreneurship programmes at UCL. In the last quarter of 2011 it was fantastic to see two companies from the UCL MSc in Technology Entrepreneurship each raise more than £1m in early stage investment.

What is your life like outside UCL?

As long as the Saracens keep winning life is good.