Dr. Melissa Taylor serves as Assistant Dean for Strategy and Planning in the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. She is responsible for strategic planning, innovation, and change management across one of the largest science colleges in the nation. Over the past year her diverse portfolio has included the challenge of defining goals and growing initiatives related to entrepreneurship opportunities for both students and faculty in the College of Natural Sciences. Melissa holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on equity implications for pathways through higher education to the workforce.