myCSUSM
Meet the Team
Dr. Elinne Becket
Faculty Director of Innovation
Elinne Becket is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences in the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. She earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles and BS in Biochemistry from University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Becket is a bacterial genomicist and an expert in next-generation sequencing assay development and applications, with over 15 years of assay development experience in academia and the biotechnology industry. Since joining CSUSM, she has led an undergraduate-focused laboratory that examines the effects of urban runoff on southern California coastal microbiomes, and she has been deeply committed to connecting students with mentors across different sectors towards innovation in the life sciences and beyond.
Mark Monahan
Faculty Director of Entrepreneurship
Mark Monahan is a financial technology executive and a faculty member of the College of Business Administration (CoBA) at CSUSM. He has been CEO of several firms and has played a lead role in five acquisitions. Mark has lived and worked throughout Europe and Asia after obtaining his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from San Diego State University.
Dr. Scott Gross
Associate Vice President for Industry Partnerships
In this role, Dr. Gross builds mutually beneficial partnerships with the community. Focused on creating opportunities for innovation, specifically social innovation, Dr. Gross serves as a matchmaker for faculty/students and industry. He is tasked with building infrastructure to support faculty inventors. To that end, Dr. Gross spends time providing oversight for the Innovation Hub, creating processes to protect intellectual property and enable technology transfer and commercialization. Dr. Gross earned his B.A. in History from Creighton University, his M.A. in Education/Sociology from DePaul University, and his doctorate in Educational Leadership as part of the Joint Doctoral Program at UC San Diego and California State University San Marcos.
Melvin Sen
Program Specialist for the Innovation Hub
Melvin Sen, in his role as Program Specialist, is tasked with the operational planning of the Innovation Hub and optimizing the allocation of resources, funds, and streamlining operations. To that end, Melvin’s responsibilities encompass a diverse range of tasks, including analyzing and forecasting budget needs, working closely with various stakeholders to ensure resources are utilized efficiently, and providing strategic recommendations to enhance operational efficiency. Melvin earned his B.A. in Sociology and is currently pursuing his M.A. in Sociological Practice at California State University, San Marcos.
Wendy Huemme
Program Coordinator for the Innovation Hub
Wendy Huemme, in her role as Program Coordinator, is tasked with event planning and the logistics and operations of the Innovation Hub while advancing the goals and missions of the university. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the Innovation Hub, managing collaborative use of the space, leading and encouraging students, staff, faculty, and community in innovation and entrepreneurship, and advancing the missions of the Innovation Ecosystem at California State University, San Marcos. Wendy's background is in project management, and she brings many years of nonprofit and teambuilding experience to this role.