UNB Names New ‘Digital Transformation’ Chair
FREDERICTON – The University of New Brunswick has put one of its longtime professors at the helm of its new digital arm.
UNB and the McKenna Institute have named Kenneth Kent the inaugural Barrett Chair in Entrepreneurship for Digital Transformation. Kent is a professor who works in UNB’s Faculty of Computer Science.
The McKenna Institute’s mandate is to advance the use of digital technologies in the province to promote economic growth and social progress. According to information released by UNB on Oct. 3, Kent’s position is funded by a grant of $2.5 million from entrepreneurs Edward and William Barrett.
Kent, a tenured computer science professor, has been with UNB for two decades and is the director of the IBM Centre for Advance Studies – Atlantic.
Kent has worked with tech-industry giants like IBM, Google, RedHat, and Huawei, contributing to a range of work that includes disclosures and patent filings.
He has held a variety of roles with the faculty, including the Information Technology Centre and Assistant Dean of Research and Outreach. He was also recognized as the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation R3 Star Mentor of the Year.
Kent is co-founder of anessa, a Fredericton-based software firm that specializes in biogas industry interface.
Erin Barrett, the CEO of Eigen Innovations Inc., on behalf of the Barrett family, said Kent’s academic and entrepreneurial experience are good for students, in a time when business and industry are looking for someone with both.
“It is a pleasure to see this chair taking a leading role in creating an environment and programming that will foster business and entrepreneurial spirit in UNB’s computer science students,” Barrett said.