Communicating the Strategic Value of TT

Mojdeh Bahar, J.D., M.A., CLP Assistant Administrator

Office of Technology TransferARS, USDA

mojdeh.bahar@ars.usda.gov

Road Map

•Who is your audience?•What does TT encompass in your organization?•What is your TT structure?•What is your value proposition?

Who is Your Audience?

• TT has many different audiences: • Scientists•Management• Congress (in case of the Federal Labs)• External Stakeholders• Peers and Colleagues• The TT work force

What is TT?

• This is a broad question to all different members of your audience• There is usually agreement on some mechanisms of

knowledge transfer as TT• Patents/copyrights/trademarks• Licenses• Some collaboration agreement

• Other means of TT may not be uniformly accepted • Field days• Publications• Some software

What is Your TT Structure?

• Do you work in a centralized system? • Is TT de-centralized in your organization?• Do you work in a hybrid environment?•Who oversees TT?•Who and how is money allocated to TT?

What is TT’s Value Proposition?

•Mission of the organization• Bottom line ($)• Exchange and transfer of scientific findings-advancing science• Statutorily mandated (Federal Labs)• Performance element• Natural progression

Communicate the Value of TT

• Translate participation in TT process into benefits for your scientists, management, stakeholders• Communicate the benefits• You want participation in TT, and the customer wants increase in research impact, revenue, specific metrics• Talk about impact, numbers, revenue

USDA: A Great Example

Created in 1862 as the “People’s Department”

Conduct research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination

Moving TT from I to II

Why Do We Need a Paradigm Shift?

• Since the passage of the FTTA Act, TT at ARS is usually addressed well after a research project is underway. As a result, TT may not be able to reach the research project’s desired impact, while others could be commercially non-viable or scientifically obsolete by the time technology transfer personnel get involved. In order to better help our ARS scientists reach the full potential impact of their research, we propose a different paradigm.

What is the Ultimate Goal?

• Goal:  Technology transfer (T2) program that maximizes the impact of ARS inventions

• Objective:  Identify and recommend mechanism(s) that have the potential of improving our agency’s ability to maximize the impact of its inventions.

• Background:  OTT’s success is very dependent on interacting at critical points throughout the development and execution of research that generates inventions.  OTT continually works to identify these critical points and develop plans to insure interaction and support, however, all sections of OTT are very concerned that OTT is not currently positioned to both interact and consult at all the critical points in the research process where needed. 

• Expected Outcomes:  1) Improved T2 process, fully integrated in the ARS national program cycle; 2) Efficient T2 process that effectively supports ARS scientists and our matrix management system; and 3) Enhance the impact of ARS inventions as measured by evidence-based results.

• Methodology:  Develop a more synergistic approach between OTT, ONP, AFM and Line Management in the development and implementation of research programs and plans that will allow ARS scientist the greatest opportunity for high impact of research results.

Why Do We Care?

I. Every Category I and Category IV scientist, has more than one element pertaining to TT activities in their performance plan. The agency's technology transfer program in the Area Offices as well as in OTT can help the scientists come up with a TT strategy using the impact model. The earlier the TT impact model is identified, the more strategic the TT approach would be. Paramount will be the development of a tactical plan for each project to maximize the chances of achieving the impact of the TT

II. Identification of the desired impact at the initiation of the research project provides a framework for TT and, when appropriate, commercialization activities

III. Both TT and scientists appreciate the nature of scientific research and the possibility of changing routes in the impact model provided

How Does the New Paradigm Work?

Technology Transfer Strategies

Adoption Research Outcomes

IPprotected

IPnot

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Need for Numbers

Thank You!

Questions?

Mojdeh Bahar, J.D., M.A., CLP Assistant AdministratorOffice of Technology Transfer ARS, USDAmojdeh.bahar@ars.usda.gov