Today on Tech Transfer IP, Lisa has the pleasure of speaking with David Gulley. David is the founding director of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust’s Technology Transfer Office (TTO), launched in 2016 as a regional effort to improve the island’s innovation ecosystem. David serves on committees of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), the Alliance for Technology Transfer Professionals (ATTP), Certified Licensing Professionals (CLP), and Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).
David’s career includes 25 years of leading the University of Illinois efforts in technology transfer industry-university engagements and economic development. From 2012 to 2015, David led an effort to establish and reinforce 22 Tech Transfer offices in Chile.
Listen as David shares what opened his eyes to Tech Transfer, what the Trust is all about and why a Science Trust in Puerto Rico. David talks about the special initiatives his office is currently undertaking and how many invention disclosures, patent filings, revenue-generating agreements, and royalty income his office has seen over the last year.
David discusses their corporate partners and the role they have played in Tech Transfer with the Trust. David describes the Parallel 18 program and what it does, the Research Grants program, and some of his office’s biggest success stories. David also shares that two of his office’s biggest challenges are expanding the understanding of innovations with their institutional partners and identifying and engaging their researchers.
David talks about the pilot program they have to encourage and assist women, and the organizations his team is involved with, like AUTM and LES, and the value he believes they bring. David also talks about the biggest benefits of being a Registered Tech Transfer Professional and suggestions he would give anyone thinking about going on the journey to becoming one.
Listen as David shares what his career has meant to him, what stands out the most, and the three things he would wish for his office, including restoring the year they lost because of the hurricane.
In This Episode:
- [02:03] Welcome to the show, David!
- [02:25] David shares what opened his eyes to Tech Transfer and his journey to TTO.
- [04:56] David discusses The Trust, what it is and what it does.
- [06:29] Why a Science Trust in Puerto Rico?
- [09:14] David speaks about the tools and other technology that his office uses to evaluate disclosures, track inventions, and market technologies.
- [11:17] David talks about the special initiatives that his office is currently undertaking.
- [13:08] David shares how many invention disclosures, patent filings, revenue-generating agreements, royalty income, and other metrics his office has had in the last year.
- [14:17] What do you think is the most important in managing innovations to have the greatest opportunity for success?
- [14:43] David speaks about their corporate partners and their role in technology transfer with the Trust.
- [15:44] David gives some examples of the relationships with corporate partners.
- [16:21] David says that their corporate partners have led to more deals.
- [16:50] David explains a little about Parallel 18 and what it does.
- [19:29] Can you talk a little about the Research Grants program?
- [20:16] David shares some of his office’s biggest success stories.
- [22:32] Expanding the understanding of innovations with their institutional partners and identifying and engaging their researchers are his office’s biggest challenges.
- [24:56] Does your office have any programs to help encourage and assist women inventors and entrepreneurs?
- [26:38] David talks about the organizations his team is involved with, like AUTM, and the value he thinks they bring.
- [28:01] David shares some of the biggest benefits of being an RTTP and suggestions he would give anyone thinking of embarking on the journey to becoming an RTTP.
- [29:25] Looking back at your career, what has it meant to you and what stands out the most?
- [30:03] Restoring the year they lost because of the hurricane, see research and innovation rise to a higher level of importance. To create more opportunities to engage and support faculty and graduate students are three wishes he has for his office.
- [31:16] Thank you for being on the show!
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