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Associate Vice President for Research, The University of AkronTreasurer, University of Akron Research FoundationAdjunct Professor and Intellectual Property Fellow, The University of Akron School of LawImmediate Past President, University Economic Development Association
Writt
e
n t
e
s
timony:
Chairman Lipinski, Ranking Member Ehlers, Members of the Subcommittee, I am Wayne Watkins,Associate Vice President for Research at The University of Akron, and Treasurer of the University of Akron Research Foundation. Thank you for allowing me to testify and to share a perspective on
technologycommercialization, university industry collaboration, and the University of Akron Research Foundation(UARF) model for improved knowledge and technology transfer from academic researchers to the privatesector. Universities, across the spectrum, have the capacity to be powerful contributors to innovation andeconomic development through knowledge (intellectual asset) creation, transfer, and implementation. Insupport of the innovation mission of universities, the following testimony is provided in response to thequestions of the House Subcommittee on Research and Science Education of the House Committee onScience and Technology.University-based technology transfer, commercialization, and university-industry collaborations aregenerating growing interest in academia, corporations, and government. These powerful innovation processes and relationships are ways for academic institutions to disseminate knowledge and share assets,for corporations to accelerate the commercialization of innovations, and for the nation to leverage itsvaluable resources to reinvigorate the economy and create jobs. The escalating interest, in part, alsostems from the recognition that academic institutions play a growing central role in regional and nationaleconomic development. The scientific and technological assets, and know-how emanating fromuniversities, federal laboratories, medical and other research institutions, form a powerful base that can
2
!!
usher in a new, globally competitive era in U.S. knowledge based manufacturing and transformationaltechnology.As the innovation ecosystem evolves and new technologies emerge, it is prudent to consider the policies,incentives, and structures that best accelerate innovation by enhancing university-industry collaborationsand by optimizing commercialization of university innovations.
!
If the United States is to remain a leading player in the global innovation economy, we must develop aneducated workforce that is more responsive to global technological challenges, and accelerate the rate atwhich we translate research and intellectual assets into economic assets. The simultaneous challengesarising from the U.S. economic downturn and growing international competition demand that we leverageall economic resources available to the United States,
industries.
1)
Wha
t
t
yp
e
s
of
e
du
c
a
t
ion
,
t
raining
,
and
s
e
rvi
ce
s
ar
e
off
e
r
e
d by Th
e
Univ
e
r
s
i
t
y of Akron
t
o prof
e
ss
or
s
,
po
st
do
c
t
oral f
e
llow
s
,
and gradua
t
e
st
ud
e
n
ts
in
t
e
r
e
st
e
d in
t
h
e
c
omm
e
r
c
ializa
t
ion of
t
h
e
ir r
e
s
e
ar
c
h di
s
c
ov
e
ri
e
s
?
Each year new faculty members receive instruction on research and technology transfer processesand support at an orientation session sponsored by the Vice President for Research. The
Foundation (UARF) Senior Fellows meet with select research teams including the professors, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students regarding their specific research programs where theydiscuss, and are instructed on, commercialization opportunities, strategies, processes, conflicts of interest management, industry collaboration opportunities, mentoring opportunities, newenterprise creation, access to funding opportunities, and development services/support andrelated topics. In addition the Office of the Vice President for Research hosts social events for inventors throughout the year that promote valuable interdisciplinary networking. The University
fice of Technology Transfer and the UARF Senior Fellows teams also participate periodically in department faculty and staff meetings and with the university faculty senate.Courses are taught on entrepreneurship and intellectual property management for graduatestudents. A new experiential learning course is under development called the Akron EMS-LaBResearch Experience which is an integrated multidisciplinary biomedical research experienceincluding student team members representing engineering, medicine, sciences and supported bylaw and business (EMS-LaB) students, and local area hospital clinicians. Under the EMS-LaB program, graduate student teams are formed around technology opportunities and work on a project over a two year period leading to a commercial business opportunity.
2)
Wha
t
ar
e
t
h
e
c
hall
e
ng
e
s
t
o in
c
r
e
a
s
ing
t
h
e
t
ran
s
f
e
r of knowl
e
dg
e
and
t
ec
hnology from univ
e
r
s
i
t
y r
e
s
e
ar
c
h
e
r
s
t
o
t
h
e
priva
t
e
s
ec
t
or and wha
t
ar
e
t
h
e
k
e
y
e
l
e
m
e
n
ts
of
s
u
cce
ss
ful univ
e
r
s
i
t
y indu
st
ry
c
ollabora
t
ion?
3
!!
Chall
e
ng
e
#1
As innovation outcomes are dependent on a continuing stream of world leadingresearchers, innovators, and scholars, the United States must continue to
improv
e
th
e
quality
,
a
cce
ss
ibility
,
and p
e
rforman
ce
of it
s
high
e
r
e
du
c
ation
s
y
s
t
e
m
s
and in
s
titution
s
to a
c
hi
e
v
e
a
s
u
s
tainabl
e
s
tatu
s
a
s
th
e
l
e
ading
s
our
ce
and nurtur
e
r
.
Edu
c
ating
,
d
e
v
e
loping
,
id
e
ntifying
,
r
ec
ruiting
,
and
s
upporting th
e
l
e
ading innovator
s
i
s
th
e
primary
c
hall
e
ng
e
to increasing the knowledge and technology flowing from the universities to the private sector and
vi
ce
v
e
r
s
a
. Thus universities and governments need to address education performance improvement as well as access and costs. Visa and immigration issues needresolution to insure the United States benefits from the top innovators globally.
Chall
e
ng
e
#2
Suffi
c
i
e
nt and
s
u
s
tain
e
d ba
s
i
c
and appli
e
d r
e
s
e
ar
c
h funding to qualifi
e
dinnovator
s
to
s
upport l
e
ading
e
dg
e
r
e
s
e
ar
c
h and d
e
v
e
lopm
e
nt r
e
main
s
a
c
ontinuing
c
hall
e
ng
e
to driving the downstream commercialization. The majority of research funding atU.S. universities comes from federal agencies. Such funding is the primary source for innovations that result in technology and entrepreneurial activity spinning-out of universities.
knowledge-based manufacturing and technology enterprises that keep the U.S. globallycompetitive
.
We also must insure that research funding reflects national competitivenessstrategies while providing sufficient funding to a range of science and technology disciplines, andreflecting emerging trends in inter-disciplinary research.
In
c
r
e
a
s
e
d f
e
d
e
ral funding forimproving th
e
innovation pro
ce
ss
e
s
at a
c
ad
e
mi
c
in
s
titution
s
s
hould b
e
c
on
s
id
e
r
e
d
.
Chall
e
ng
e
#3 -- Innovation do
e
s
not r
e
s
p
ec
t individual in
s
titutional or
s
tat
e
boundari
e
s
.
Federal funding is structured to address individual institutions and states. As we clearly see incluster development, growing clusters often involve connections between multiple institutionsand multiple communities. Federal funding could be better aligned with this regional and multi-institutional approach. State funding practices also tend not to account for the regional nature of cluster development and states should be encouraged and incentivized to cooperate in research,innovation, and entrepreneurship, across state boundaries
.
A
s
w
e
in
c
r
e
a
s
ingly fa
ce
global
c
omp
e
tition
,
it may b
e
tim
e
to r
e
think boundari
e
s
and funding that i
s
traditionally ti
e
d toth
e
s
e
boundari
e
s
.
Chall
e
ng
e
#4 -
Univ
e
r
s
ity l
e
ad
e
r
s
hip with
e
xp
e
rti
s
e
and
s
trat
e
gi
c
c
ommitm
e
nt to
e
s
tabli
s
hing innovation
s
upporting univ
e
r
s
iti
e
s
i
s
e
ss
e
ntial and r
e
main
s
a
c
ontinuing
c
hall
e
ng
e
.
The strategic perspective and leadership of the university president, in particular, is amajor factor in the innovation effectiveness of an institution. My transfer to The University of Akron was a direct result of the innovation related expertise and leadership of its president, Dr.Luis Proenza. University governing boards and others that influence the hiring of university presidents, including faculty, labor representatives, and community members, need to beappropriately attuned to the need for leadership that is innovation savvy and capable of leadinguniversity culture adaptations for improved innovation performance. Likewise the collectiveleadership of the institution including provosts, vice presidents, deans and department chairs aswell as the informal leaders, impact the innovation effectiveness of the institution. There areexcellent examples of leaders that move the university
culture to be more accommodating and
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