Research Day 2026 Keynote Address

Shiri M. Breznitz, an economic geographer, specializing in innovation, technology commercialization, and regional economic development. Shiri is Director of Research and the Ralph and Roz Halbert Professor of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. In addition, she is Editor-in-Chief in Progress in economic geography, a member of the Executive Leadership Team at Medicine By Design and a member of the Scientific Board of the Journal of Technology Transfer. Her research is at the critical intersection of theory and policy to fit the new realities of globalization: Professor Breznitz’s work has informed policymaking at the local, national, and international levels. She has advised on the role of universities in the larger story of innovation, on the economic impact of biotechnology and Intellectual Property, and on the role of clusters in driving innovation. Her current projects include a study on intellectual property and technology commercialization policies at higher education institutions, a study on the regenerative medicine cluster in Toronto, and the economic impact of entrepreneurship education.

Professor Breznitz’s book, “The Fountain of Knowledge” with Stanford University Press (July 2014), analyzes universities’ relationships with government and industry, focusing on the biotechnology industry as a case study. She has also co-edited the book, “University Technology Transfer:  The Globalization of Academic Innovation,” with Routledge Press (September 2015). Professor Breznitz was a member of the Ontario Expert Panel on Intellectual Property, a member of the Ontario IP implementation panel and, in 2018, was a Co-PI on the University of Toronto Alumni Impact Survey.