Expert in Residence program connects OHIO students with leaders

Launched by OHIO’s Housing and Residence Life in partnership with OHIO’s Honors Tutorial College, the Expert in Residence (EIR) program connects students with experts, many of whom are alumni, from a wide range of fields through interactive programs, office hours and small-group conversations. Each visiting EIR creates a customized schedule designed to complement classroom learning and help students explore career paths.

Find information about the program, past and upcoming experts and how to nominate a future participant.

The program welcomed its inaugural expert in residence, Robb Roby, from February 16-27. Roby earned his mechanical engineering degree from OHIO’s Russ College of Engineering and Technology in 1994, graduating summa cum laude. As a student, he held leadership roles in the Marching 110, the Singing Men of Ohio, and the Russ College Dean’s Council.

After earning his law degree from New York University School of Law, Roby built a 25-year career advising organizations ranging from startups to multinational corporations on patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and competition law.

During his residency on campus as an EIR, Roby hosted open office hours, met with students over meals at Nelson Court Dining Hall and led two programs.

His session, “Own Your Ideas: Intellectual Property 101,” introduced students to the fundamentals of protecting ideas in business and technology. Later, his fireside chat titled “No Straight Line to Success” focused on career pivots and lessons from his journey through engineering, law and intellectual property. 

Students who attended had strong takeaways from the experience. Post-event surveys showed a 4.75/5 average rating for students’ ability to apply information from the event to their future, and all respondents said they would recommend similar programs.

“Robb Roby was extremely insightful about his transition between different opportunities during and after college and gave a lot of interesting information about patents I would not have otherwise learned," a student attendee said in a survey response. 

Green earned her doctorate in creative writing from OHIO in 2015 and now serves as a tenured professor of English and Creative Writing at St. Cloud State University. Her work has received numerous honors, including two Pushcart Prize awards and fellowships from the Vermont Studio Center and the Sewanee Writer’s Conference. Her most recent poetry collection, The Deletions, was named the 2023 Editor’s Choice selection for the Akron Poetry Series.

While on campus, Green connected with students through open office hours and two interactive programs. A Paint ‘n Sip Night for the Fine Arts Residential Learning Community in Lincoln and Biddle Halls drew over 25 students for an evening of creativity and conversation.

“I highly recommend events like this,” one student wrote in the post-event survey. “It was so fun to learn about an alumni’s life.”

Green also hosted an Open Mic Night in the Honors Tutorial College Common Room, beginning with a reading of her poetry before inviting students to share their own work. Over fifteen students participated in the event.

The program will conclude its spring lineup with entrepreneur Seth Miller, visiting April 13-18.

Miller earned a degree in Management Information Systems from OHIO in 2014. While still a student, he launched RapChat, a social music platform that has since empowered more than 15 million creators worldwide to make and share their own music. As founder and CEO, Miller has led the company’s growth while raising more than $7 million in venture funding.

Programs and office hours for Miller’s visit will be announced soon.