Book Description

"The book is a guide for academic researchers, especially scientists and engineers, on how to move their discoveries to the marketplace. Few academics understand what tech transfer is or how it works, and many shy away from it because they equate commercialization with starting a company. Yet those same individuals can be intrigued to learn of additional pathways that enable discoveries to be translated into marketable products or services. We help researchers explore multiple routes for commercialization, guides them through the personal decisions they must face, describes programs designed to help them, and provides advice to avoid common problems. We frame commercialization as the primary (often the only) way for research to solve societal problems. Impact can best be achieved if, a discovery leads to an invention/ that fills an unmet need in the marketplace. The range of entities that support technology transfer are described, and we offer best practices for researchers to maximize support the process. Engaging researchers effectively requires that institutions themselves adapt. Aligning commercialization with the rewards system is crucial, and integrating commercialization training into graduate and postdoctoral programs will produce the next generation of academic inventors. Furthermore, women and minorities face special challenges that must be overcome so that everyone's discovery receives support for commercialization. Woven through the book are profiles of academic inventors, which illustrate key points and help researchers to visualize themselves in such a role"--