Sen Chai

Biography

 Sen’s research examines the entire developmental course of creative innovations from idea conception to commercialization, with the goal of helping managers and policymakers better support innovation and increase organizations’ chances of creating commercially successful ideas. Her current projects focus on understanding why breakthoughs are missed, the process by which researchers or teams of researchers in firms and universities conceive of commercially successful ideas, and the effect of twitter as well as the role of physical and virtual temporary colocation as vehicles for collaboration. In the context of innovation policy, she is studying innovative performance and productivity effects of academic-industry collaboration grants in Denmark, as well as understanding which managerial and structural factors of these funding schemes make them more effective. Prior to Harvard, Sen worked in the San Francisco and Seattle offices of Deloitte Consulting LLP as a consultant helping clients optimize their business processes. She received a B.Eng. in Electrical Engineering from McGill University and a M.S. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University. She has also passed all three levels of the CFA curriculum. Sen grew up in Shanghai, Paris, New York City and Montreal, and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and French. She enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures during her free time

Research Interest

 Areas Technology and Innovation Management Innovation Funding and Incentives   Technology and Global Innovation Strategy Entrepreneurship Commercializing Science