PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Transformative Technology Lab (TTL) and Sofia University are creating an impact factory for the development and commercialization of scalable technologies that increase human well-being.

According to co-founders Dr. Jeffery A. Martin and Nichol Bradford, the lab incorporates an open-community approach toward research and development services, training, and go-to-market evaluations in the Transformative Technology space. Academically, the lab conducts and publishes research in the area of Transformative Technology, advises Sofia University on the curriculum for their Transformative Technology degree programs, and mentors and supervises graduate students. For the wider Transformative Technology community, the lab hosts open 'maker' type events, Meetups, workshops, the leading industry conference, and other public and private events.

"The future of education is no longer isolated," says Sofia University President Liz Li, Ph.D. "Sofia University and the Transformative Technology Lab take the core disciplines of psychology, computer science, and business and combine them in a practical cross-discipline, team-based structure, with real world applications."

"Our programs are graduating students with Masters Degrees in Computer Science and minors in Psychology, and Masters and PhD Degrees in Psychology with a focus on Computer Science," says Dr. Li. "Students are able to blend technology, science, business and the school's 40 years of leadership in humanistic and transpersonal psychology to create substantial real-world impact. Our 'whole-person' approach to education allows them to better understand the people around them and, in-turn, become leaders of more productive organizations."

The lab has also attracted advisors and mentors who work at its major Silicon Valley neighbors such as: Google, Founders Fund, Twitter, Mayfield Fund, Palo Alto Neuroscience, Spire and Heartmath.

Its academic advisors and collaborators span the world and all areas related to Transformative Technology, and include researchers from: Harvard, Yale, Stanford, UCLA, UCSF, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, Rochester Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, University of Washington, University of Arizona, NYU, King's University College (Canada), Institute of Psychiatry/Kings College London (U.K.), Duke-NUS (Singapore), and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (China).

More Impactful Engineers and CEOs

Sofia's Masters Degree programs in Computer Science and Business Administration, in conjunction with its well-regarded Psychology programs, are teaching students, especially engineers, to be more mindful, effective and impactful. Graduates enter the workforce with both a cutting-edge education and as well-rounded leaders.  Unlike other MS and MBA programs, especially those online, students don't just pass one course at a time in isolation, because lab's research and integration into Sofia's curriculum helps them combine disciplines in a way that is unimaginable at other top universities.

Mentorship-based Incubator

TTL and Willow Group co-founder Nichol Bradford expects the program will also enhance the university's growing reputation as an incubator for entrepreneurs. "Transformative Technology is the next big thing and there is a quickly growing pool of entrepreneurs in the Valley who are looking to build companies that tackle the opportunities it creates.  The TTL-Sofia partnership will support this trend," says Bradford.