Charles E. Hutchinson was dean of the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College in 1984–1994 and again in 1997–1998. He launched the school’s master of engineering management program and in 2007 helped establish the PhD innovation program. The latter modifies and supplements the doctoral engineering curriculum with entrepreneurial studies to equip engineering students with the skills needed to start companies.

Hutchinson’s interest in entrepreneurship is longstanding: In 1997 he founded M2S, a company specializing in medical data and image management services for clinical trials. And in 2000 he cofounded, with Tillman Gerngross, GlycoFi Inc., which creates biotherapeutics based on glycan optimization technology acquired by Merck in 2006. In 2007 he was among the cofounders of SustainX, Inc. and now serves as chairman. He has a BSEE degree from Illinois Institute of Technology, and MSEE and PhD degrees from Stanford University.