Dr. Thomas J. Mierzwa

Dr. Mierzwa brings over 20 years of teaching experience at the University of Maryland and other institutions, focusing on strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He teaches in the Minor in Technology Entrepreneurship, Master of Technology Entrepreneurship, and Gemstone Program in the Honors College. His teaching philosophy emphasizes building student competency through well-designed courses and engaging exercises. His research interests include innovation processes, opportunity recognition, and design thinking. Dr. Mierzwa founded The Fountainhead Group, which conducts innovation audits, and Creative Agreements, a firm specializing in mediation for venture start-ups. He serves on multiple advisory boards for Maryland businesses, chairs a committee on non-traditional academics at the Academy of Management, and is a board member of the Executive DBA Council. He holds a Doctor of Public Administration in strategic management from USC and a master's in urban design from Harvard.