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Volume 6; Issue 3 |
April/May 2003 |
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_____________________________________________________________________ Technology Transfer Program Joins the Office of Knowledge Management By Holly Baker _____________________________________________________________________ |
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The FAA’s Technology Transfer Program has found a new home in the Technical Center’s Office of Knowledge Management, ACK-1. This agency program, established by Congressional legislation, provides a unique opportunity for the private sector to more fully optimize the research capabilities and products of federal laboratories. Technology transfer is the process by which existing knowledge, facilities, or capabilities, developed with federal funding, can be transferred and used to fulfill public and private needs.
Pictured (L to R): Deborah Germak, Marie Denan, Doreen McClintock and Dennis Filler. The Office of Knowledge
Management explores, evaluates, and establishes policies that will lead to
new technical opportunities and avenues for the Technical Center to
embrace. The office
establishes and implements the Center direction and policies for
intellectual property and technology transfer, and it facilitates
knowledge sharing. Technology
transfer fits perfectly in this office and will receive greater emphasis
as an important strategic element for the center. “The William J. Hughes
Technical Center is the FAA’s premier research laboratory with a vision
of being internationally recognized as the leader in shaping aviation’s
future,” said Dennis Filler, chief scientist for Technology and program
director for the Office of Knowledge Management. “This heightened focus on technology transfer will enhance the
Technical Center’s opportunities to be just that.” The Cooperative Research
and Development Agreement (CRDA) is the key vehicle the agency uses to
collaborate with non-federal partners to conduct specific research and
development (R&D) efforts consistent with its technology transfer
goals. Under a CRDA, the
collaborating non-federal party can provide funding. Depending on the agreement, either the laboratory or its partner
can provide other resources, such as personnel, services, facilities,
equipment and intellectual property. CRDAs are not subject to the terms that apply to acquisition
contracts, but are still legally enforceable documents. The agreements also contain specific provisions for many
intellectual property issues, including data rights, property ownership,
and the allocation of rights to future inventions and/or intellectual
property. Another key component of
Technology Transfer is the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Program. The purpose of this
program is to stimulate technological innovation, and to provide
opportunities to small, minority and disadvantaged businesses, while
meeting federal R&D needs. The
program also aims to increase private sector commercialization of
innovations derived from federal R&D. SBIR contracts are awarded competitively to small businesses that
submit proposals addressing agency-defined topics.
The Volpe Transportation Systems Center directs the DOTs SBIR
program. The SBIR program consists
of three phases:
These programs provide
many benefits to all involved parties, including: collaborative research;
licensing of patent rights and other intellectual property protections
that provide royalty income for the laboratory and the inventors; reduced
costs by leveraging investments during all stages of R&D; employee
exchanges; and awards to the inventors. Deborah Germak is the
Technology Transfer Program Manager.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business
administration/accounting from the University of Maryland.
Deborah was formerly the Technical Center’s Contracts Branch
Manager. “We have numerous CRDAs
and SBIR contracts covering collaborative research on a multitude of
subjects,” said Ms. Germak. “We
are very proud of our successes in researching many new initiatives and in
patenting several inventions resulting from our technology transfer
efforts.” Ms. Germak looks
forward to more exciting new opportunities to use the program to generate
effective products for researchers and the general public alike. Ms. Germak can be reached at (609) 485-6320 or deborah.germak@faa.gov. Marie Denan ((609) 485-5276 – marie.denan@faa.gov and Doreen McClintock of Titan Corp. (609) 485-8056 – doreen.ctr.mcclintock/act/cntr/faa@faa.gov also serve on the Technology Transfer Program staff. They are available to assist employees and prospective partners in any matter relating to technology transfer. Visit the Technology Transfer web site at: http://ack.tc.faa.gov/
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