Since 1999, John Miner has been involved in the AUTM Salary Survey, an indispensable tool that provides a comprehensive review of compensation trends in the field of technology transfer. The value of the salary survey lies in its ability to help technology transfer offices understand what they need to do to attract and retain talent and to make technology transfer professionals aware of the opportunities that come with developing a career in the space. In today’s episode, John explains how upgra...
Sep 13, 2023•32 min
In this episode, we’re delving into the 2022 Canadian Licensing Survey with the Chair of the AUTM Canadian Licensing Survey Committee and Associate Director of Technology Transfer at McGill University, Olivia Novac. Olivia’s involvement in the Licensing Survey originated from her desire to change the fact that many institutions were opting out of taking the survey. Understanding the Survey’s enormous value for the innovation ecosystem, Olivia took on the Chair position in 2017 and has never look...
Sep 06, 2023•26 min
“With policy, you have to think long-game. This is a marathon, not a sprint.” The policy landscape is continuously evolving; every day there is a new government action taking place that influences technology transfer on university campuses. As a technology transfer professional, staying on top of those changes will help you facilitate far-reaching impact. Today’s guest, Kate Hudson, is the Associate Vice President and Counsel for Policy and Federal Relations at the Association of American Univer...
Aug 30, 2023•47 min
Israel is a hotbed for innovation, particularly in the high-tech space. This is evidenced by the fact that the sector makes up 18.1% of the country’s GDP (making it the largest contributor to the economy). Part of the reason for the enormous success they have achieved is the remarkable collaboration between academia, industry, and technology transfer offices. Today’s guest is the CEO of Ramot, the Tech Transfer Company of Tel Aviv University, and co-chair of the Israel Tech Transfer Network (ITT...
Aug 23, 2023•22 min
Today’s guest, Derrick L. Maultsby Jr., serves as a business advisor and corporate transactional lawyer to startups, small to mid-sized businesses, and Fortune 50 companies in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, helping them grow intelligently and effectively. The startup world is one of “nuances and details,” and numerous important legal elements need to be taken into consideration when founding a business. In this episode, Derrick explains where founders and founding teams often go wrong fro...
Aug 16, 2023•37 min
“Advanced cell and gene therapies are revolutionizing how to approach and treat a wide range of diseases.” There are few things (if any) more impactful than transforming healthcare for millions of patients, including those with rare and life-threatening diseases. Today’s guest is Anji Miller, and as the Senior Business Manager in the technology transfer team at LifeArc and Skills Lead for the Innovation Hubs for Gene Therapies, she is at the forefront of that transformation. In this episode, Anj...
Aug 09, 2023•47 min
How do you know when an innovation is ready to make its mark in the real world? Successfully spinning-out biotechs is an art; one that today’s guest, Irene Abrams, has a wealth of knowledge about. Irene is the Vice President of Technology Development and New Ventures at Boston Children's Hospital. She leads the Technology & Innovation Development Office (TIDO), which is responsible for commercializing discoveries and innovations developed at the hospital. She is also the Managing Director of...
Aug 02, 2023•46 min
Technology transfer has the power to bridge gaps not only between industry, academia, and government within a country but also on a global scale! Today’s guest, Dr. Alfred Tan, has been the Head of the Knowledge Transfer Office at Hong Kong University for 13 years. He also serves as the Deputy Managing Director and a Board member of Versitech Limited. In this episode, Alfred shares how his office leverages Hong Kong’s close ties to Eastern countries and its Western-style systems to enhance colla...
Jul 26, 2023•44 min
Although it is just one aspect of technology transfer, the start-up space is attracting an increasingly large proportion of the interest and support from professionals within (and outside of) the field. Kirsten Leute (who is currently a partner at Osage University Partners) has spent nearly two decades immersed in the world of innovation. As a result she has witnessed the evolution that has taken place in the field over the years and thus has a broad, unique perspective, which she shares with us...
Jul 19, 2023•26 min
The Nagoya Protocol is a supplement to the United Nation’s Biodiversity Treaty, and it is reshaping the landscape of scientific research. In this episode, Dr. Mukul Ranjan, a Senior Advisor for Innovation and Technology Transfer at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is here to explain how. As a key player in fostering collaborations between the public, private, academic, and non-profit sectors, Dr. Ranjan has firsthand knowledge of how the Nagoya Protocol is impac...
Jul 12, 2023•32 min
From the USPTO to the FBI to the NSA (where she has been for ten years), Karen Presley has spent the majority of her career working in public institutions and has always been in some way involved in the creation, protection, or transfer of a wide range of technologies. After sharing an overview of her fascinating career path (including some of the main challenges of working for the government), Karen delves into one of her current endeavors that she is palpably passionate about; the MSI Working ...
Jul 05, 2023•24 min
I have a very exciting topic for you today - blockchain NFTs and the metaverse. Joining me to discuss their potential impact on intellectual property is Dr. Randy Stout, neurologist and cell biologist serving as the director of New York Institute of Technology’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) for Biomedical Innovation and the NYIT Imaging Center. His research focuses mainly on understanding the intricate connections between brain cells and their role in various neurological conditions...
Jun 28, 2023•59 min
Today I'm excited to be joined by Aileen Dingus, the Commercialization Network and Events Manager, to talk about making the paths to commercialization of inventions more equitable. Aileen brings a wealth of experience from both the private sector and higher education, making her a valuable voice in the conversation on making the paths to commercialization of inventions more equitable. Since joining Tech Launch Arizona, Aileen has spearheaded the management of the NSF I-Corps Site program, guidin...
Jun 21, 2023•27 min
Data from two decades of patent filings from across the world shows that only 4% of international patents were invented exclusively by women. This statistic, along with the many others that are shared in WIPO’s report (The Global Gender Gap in Innovation and Creativity), highlight that we still have a long way to go to close the gender gap in patenting. But, as you’ll hear in this episode, it’s not all doom and gloom. There has been slow but consistent movement in the right direction for many ye...
Jun 14, 2023•44 min
Mark Bayer’s career choices (from Capitol Hill to the non-profit sector to consulting) have all been driven by his desire to make a meaningful impact. And make a meaningful impact he has! Mark is currently the president of Bayer Strategic Consulting, a boutique communications firm that helps universities and research institutes effectively communicate their work to their most important stakeholders. In this episode, he talks about the factors that are essential for effective communication (from ...
Jun 07, 2023•34 min
“When the chips are down, everybody can work together.” For the past 23 years, Dr. Anne Lane has worked at UCLB, prior to which she worked for a spin-out company while completing her MBA, prior to which she was a postdoc at Harvard. With these kinds of credentials, it’s no wonder she has risen to the top of the commercialization space as CEO of the prestigious technology transfer company. In this episode, Anne shares her thoughts on the power of collaboration between universities, private, and p...
May 31, 2023•27 min
Being a technology transfer professional means being able to engage with some of the most brilliant minds and create meaningful, tangible impacts. That is why Tony Raven believes it is the best career in the world! Tony has had 25 years of experience in the technology transfer sector, during which he was involved in creating over 100 spin out companies and the commercialization of cutting-edge research. During our conversation, Tony shares some examples of how technology transfer has changed the...
May 24, 2023•22 min
Without the innovative research and development being done by federal labs across the United States and the commercialization being done by the private sector, we may not have GPS, smartphones, or many of the life-saving pharmaceuticals that are available today. Today’s guest, Dr. Whitney Hastings, leads numerous technology transfer initiatives and manages diverse portfolios at the National Cancer Institute's Technology Transfer Center. She is also the newly elected Board Chair of the Federal La...
May 17, 2023•23 min
Technology transfer is a major driver of economic growth and a promoter of national security. In this episode, Dr. Walter Copan joins us to share some of the key technologies that enable this, some of the biggest challenges that need to be overcome on the innovation pathway, and how to enhance the degree of collaboration between the public and private sectors. Walter also talks about the importance of having a strong, predictable IP system, why community support is a key component of the technol...
May 10, 2023•32 min
The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) is a group of technology transfer professionals from over 300 federal laboratories across the full spectrum of federal agencies. In this episode, we are joined by the Chair of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) of the FLC, Richard (Dick) Paul. Prior to his current role, Dick was a Major General in the U.S. Air Force, Vice President of the Boeing Company, and First Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory. In this episode, Dick explains how the NAC...
May 03, 2023•21 min
Today is World Intellectual Property Day, and this year's theme focuses on celebrating the achievements of women in the field of innovation and creativity. Laura is certainly one of the many women who deserve to be celebrated today, not only for her technical and entrepreneurial achievements, but also the work she is doing to lift other women up alongside her! Women and minorities still face numerous barriers to entry into STEM fields. During this episode, Laura shares what actions should be tak...
Apr 26, 2023•34 min
When people with different ways of thinking collaborate effectively, magic happens! Some people think visually, some verbally, some mathematically, and some a combination of all three. Today’s guest, Dr. Temple Grandin, is a Professor of Animal Science, author, speaker, and a trailblazer in the field of autism advocacy. Temple is an autistic person who describes herself as an “extreme visual thinker,” and in this episode, she explains why the world needs neurodiversity! From the barriers that ne...
Apr 19, 2023•35 min
A combination of factors enabled the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) to successfully create the first university technology transfer office while others around them failed. The role that this institution has played in shaping our world is monumental. In this episode, we pick up where we left off in our previous conversation, and Kevin Walters shares the story of WARF in the wake of Harry Steenbock’s vitamin D patent (which was ultimately dedicated to the public in 1946). Kevin also e...
Apr 12, 2023•24 min
In this episode, we’re taking a trip back to the time before the establishment of the very first university technology transfer office in the United States in 1925. A set of fortuitous circumstances in Kevin Walters’ life gave him the opportunity to write a Ph.D. dissertation on the history of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), where he has worked for the past 12 years. In this episode, Kevin explains how the discoveries that stubborn scientist Dr. Harry Steenbock made about vitami...
Apr 05, 2023•39 min
Although South Africa’s technology transfer sector might not yet be as advanced as other parts of the world, there are some very exciting developments taking place in the field, and the future is looking bright. In today’s episode, Dr. Ncebakazi Galada, a Technology Transfer Manager at Innovus (a division of Stellenbosch University), joins us to discuss how she and her team are helping to commercialize technologies that will have a positive impact on her country (which has high rates of crime an...
Mar 29, 2023•30 min
Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi is a highly accomplished vaccinologist and global health advocate for neglected tropical diseases. She’s Associate Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, Professor of Pediatrics, and Co-director of Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She has over two decades of experience, numerous awards, and over 120 scientific papers. She’s dedicated her career to developing vaccines for neglected disease...
Mar 22, 2023•35 min
The 2022 WIPO-AUTM International Knowledge and Technology Transfer Leadership Summit involved the coming together of leaders from 29 countries and territories across the world to discuss the current state of practice and the future direction of the field. Some key topics covered during the summit included models for government funding, the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion across the entire ecosystem, and impact measurement. Joining us today to share an overview of some of the most...
Mar 15, 2023•23 min
With a background in electrical engineering and law and a passion for creating impact, Kathi Vidal is brilliantly suited to her role as the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. During this episode, you will hear about Kathi’s career trajectory, the organizations that she is involved with, and the factors that motivate her to do what she does. The USPTO is focused on fostering innovation, particularly in key technology areas such as NFTs, AI, and emerging technologies. Kathi...
Mar 08, 2023•18 min
Gender disparities are particularly pronounced in the STEM fields, with only 28% of the workforce in STEM professions being women. Tarianna Stewart is one of the 28%, and she’s had a wide range of experiences throughout her fruitful career, which she shares with us today. During this episode, Tarianna explains what drew her to science in the first place, the exclusion she experienced while working at a law firm, what she learned during her time as a licensing associate at Georgia Tech (the first...
Mar 01, 2023•28 min
Today’s guest is a first-generation university graduate, the Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Jackson State University, the first Black Chair of the Board of Directors for AUTM, a Ph.D. holder, and a mother of two. Almesha is a trailblazer in the technology transfer field and a true asset to the industry. Her unwavering commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship, especially among underrepresented populations, has earned her recognition and accolades from numer...
Feb 22, 2023•43 min
