Professor in the Practice and Industry Relations Director
Rice Center for Engineering Leadership
Scholar of Entrepreneurship
Baker Institute for Public Policy
George leads industry engagement at Rice through the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership (RCEL). His responsibilities include:
- Managing RCEL's “Engineers in the C-Suite” speaker series, panel discussions, mentorship program, career skills workshops, and industry volunteers ("Engineers in the Room").
- Serving as liaison and campus host for corporate partners, engineering professional societies, international technology delegations, USPTO events, Rice Engineering Alumni (REA), and other constituents.
- Managing site visits and related opportunities for companies to interact with Engineering & Computing students.
- Teaching upper-level elective courses on Non-Engineering Careers for Engineering Majors (RCEL 430/530) and Intro to Patents & Intellectual Property for Engineers (RCEL 436/536).
- Coaching the Rice team in the national Ethics in Engineering Case Competition (2024 national champions).
- Advising students and faculty on intellectual property and related matters.
- Advising students on law school and IP careers.
George joined the School of Engineering after ten-plus years in private practice as a patent litigation attorney, representing technology companies including Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Xerox, Lenovo, Acer, Amkor, and AnologicTech. Prior to practicing law, he worked as an engineer at ExxonMobil and as a manager in private business for several years.
Even before joining Rice's faculty, George was closely affiliated with the university, serving as a transformative President of Rice Engineering Alumni and as a member of the Association of Rice Alumni board of directors. He has received two prestigious awards for his volunteer service to Rice: the inaugural Builder's Award in 2005 for outstanding service by a young alumnus, and the Meritorious Service Award in 2019.
George is licensed to practice before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the International Trade Commission, Texas state and Federal courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of IEEE as well as several intellectual property organizations, and he has served on the governing boards of the Houston Intellectual Property Law Association (HIPLA) and the Hon. Nancy F. Atlas Intellectual Property American Inn of Court.
Outside of the office, George is a college lacrosse referee who has served as President of the Greater Houston chapter of US Lacrosse and on the inaugural committee of the Texas Lacrosse Hall of Fame.