Dr Mark Bacon
Mark took up the role of Director of Enterprise and Business Partnerships within the Lancaster Environment Centre in 2004. Prior to this appointment Mark was a Research Associate and Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences.
Over the last three years, Mark has established a dedicated 12-strong business partnerships team for the Environment Centre, developing programmes of activity to deliver collaborative research centres with industry, the co-location of businesses into LEC, the commercialisation of outcomes from research, a dedicated graduate consultancy programme on environmental legislation and resource use efficiency, an extensive events programme, a new venture creation and incubation programme and a series of continuing professional development training courses. With a total revenue programme value of over £3 million the Enterprise & Business Partnerships team is one of only a handful of dedicated national outreach teams focused on the 'environment'. Mark recently developed the £3.5 million business case for establishing a new facility for co-location of businesses into LEC, successfully funded by the North West Regional Development Agency and European Regional Development fund. Mark also formed part of the development team for Solaris - a dedicated visitor centre in Blackpool, which explores environmental sustainability and the natural economy with a public audience.
Mark has also undertaken a range of teaching roles within the University, contributing to a number of undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes, supervision of PhD students and development of industry training programmes (with BBSRC support) which in part, led to the formation of a dedicated research centre for Waitrose Supermarkets. Mark has also been an associate lecturer and summer school tutor for the Open University and is a former Dean and Principal of Grizedale College (one of the University's 9 residential colleges).
Mark was awarded a staff prize for commercialisation in 2004, in recognition of his development of outreach activities from the Lancaster Environment Centre.
