Hayes Ferguson

Hayes Ferguson is a Clinical Professor and Director of the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering. She oversees curriculum development, faculty engagement, student mentorship, and external partnerships. As an educator, she teaches entrepreneurship-focused courses like NUvention: Media and Innovate for Climate. She is affiliated with the Trienens Institute and serves on advisory boards for the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers and CNBC Disruptor 50.

Education: BA from Vanderbilt University, graduate work as a Rotary Scholar at the University of Perugia (Italy) and Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan.

Research interests focus on entrepreneurship education, startup leadership, and interdisciplinary innovation. Her professional background includes leadership roles at Legacy.com and The Garage at Northwestern, where she supported early-stage ventures.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Farley Center and collaborates with The Garage. Her work emphasizes translating academic research into practical business solutions, particularly in climate-related innovation.