ĀÜĄņĀŅĀ×

Marcus W. S. has a diverse work experience spanning several industries and roles. Marcus W. is currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO) & Co-Founder of Pruuvn, a company that develops SaaS credentialing, data management, and compliance monitoring solutions for the freelance/gig economy. Prior to this, Marcus held the role of President & CEO/CTO at Shute Enterprises, Inc. (SEI), where they provided guidance and served in a senior leadership capacity to new ventures, start-up companies, corporations, and entrepreneurs. Marcus W. also worked as a Mentor at the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), a startup accelerator that helps technology entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies.

In addition, Marcus served as Vice President of R&D and Commercialization at 510nano, Inc., a renewable energy and technology development enterprise. Marcus W. was responsible for leading the product development and commercialization efforts for Solar VIAā„¢, the company's patent-pending solar module technology.

Prior to their roles in the private sector, Marcus held academic positions at Clark Atlanta University and Tennessee State University, where they served as Vice President of Research and also held professorships in Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering, respectively. Marcus W. was responsible for developing and implementing research strategies, managing research administration and funding, and establishing relationships with funding agencies and corporations.

Marcus also has experience in technology consulting, having served as a Director/Advisor at Georgia Research Alliance and as an Advisory Board member at Cumberland Emerging Technologies. Marcus W. has also worked at Luxcore Networks, Inc., where they held the roles of Vice President of Advanced Technologies and Vice President of Engineering. At Luxcore, they managed the R&D business unit and helped raise venture capital for the company's product solutions in the field of optical communication.

Marcus began their career at Bell Laboratories - Lucent Technologies, where they held the role of Distinguished Member of Technical Staff. Marcus W. was responsible for optimizing CDMA wireless systems and leading cross-organizational development teams in the fabrication and performance evaluation of optical fiber amplifiers and DWDM devices.

Overall, Marcus W. S. has a wealth of experience in technology development, research administration, entrepreneurial mentorship, and leadership in both the private and academic sectors.

Marcus W. S. has an extensive education history in the field of Mechanical Engineering. Marcus W. holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where they also obtained a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME). Prior to that, they earned a Master of Science (SM) in Materials Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Marcus received their undergraduate education at Tennessee State University, where they obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME). In addition to their academic degrees, Marcus has also obtained certifications, including the Fast TracĀ® TechVenturesā„¢ Program from The Kauffman Foundation in 2010, and they are a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in Mechanical Engineering in the State of Georgia since 1988.