Wendy L. Clemens, MS, PhD

Wendy L. Clemens serves as the Alan R. Warehime Faculty Chair in Agribusiness and director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. In this role, she provides strategic leadership for the college’s entrepreneurial ecosystem—advancing educational programs, strengthening industry partnerships, and helping translate Penn State research into real‑world solutions that create economic and societal impact. She joined the faculty in April 2026 as a Penn State alumna deeply committed to building partnerships in ways that expand opportunity for students and accelerate innovation across the commonwealth and beyond.

Dr. Clemens brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, where she worked at the intersection of science, strategy, and commercialization. Prior to returning to Penn State, she held senior scientific and executive roles at organizations including Bristol Myers Squibb, Tmunity Therapeutics, MedImmune/AstraZeneca, and Merck & Co. Throughout her career, she helped advance pioneering therapies in oncology, cell therapy, immunology, and infectious diseases from early discovery through clinical development and commercialization—experience that now directly informs her approach to entrepreneurial education and industry engagement.

As director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, Dr. Clemens focuses on preparing students to lead in increasingly complex, innovation‑driven industries. She works closely with faculty, alumni, industry partners, and donors to ensure that students gain practical experience in entrepreneurship, innovation strategy, and commercialization, while also helping faculty translate research into market‑ready technologies. She also represents the College of Agricultural Sciences on Penn State’s University‑wide Innovation Steering Committee, helping align philanthropic investments with institutional priorities and long‑term impact.

A central theme of her work is building durable partnerships between the university and the private sector. Drawing on her extensive industry network, she helps create pathways for collaborative research, student engagement, workforce development, and startup formation. Her leadership builds on the strong foundation established through visionary philanthropic support—including the Warehime family’s long‑standing commitment to entrepreneurship and agribusiness at Penn State—and seeks to amplify that impact for future generations.

Dr. Clemens earned her B.S. in Animal Bioscience, with a minor in Microbiology, from Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and also holds a M.S. in Veterinary Immunology from the University of Missouri‑Columbia.  She completed her PhD in Physiology from Penn State with her doctoral thesis work being conducted in the College of Agricultural Sciences and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. 

Beyond her professional roles, Clemens is a strong advocate for STEM education, workforce development, and community engagement. Through her leadership as the Alan R. Warehime Faculty Chair, Clemens is committed to expanding Penn State’s impact at the nexus of agriculture, life sciences, business, and innovation.