Technology Commercialization staff have organized workshops that inspire researchers to think about industry partnerships which could offer new opportunities for launching research projects that address industry-relevant problems and benefit society through new products and services.
“We know that many faculty and researchers want to work with industry but don't know how to get started, or are intimidated by the potential administrative burden on the University side,” Besemann said. “We wanted to give faculty the tools they need to get started with an industry partnership and make the process more transparent.”
The workshops cover a range of topics, including how researchers can find the right industry partner, promote their lab and expertise, put together a project proposal and budget, and work with SPA to get an agreement signed. They also provide a basic introduction to intellectual property, confidentiality, and publication terms, as well as an understanding on how industry partners’ expectations differ from those of federal agencies.