2024 Saw Success for Tech Transfer
Mike Waring
AUTM Advocacy and Alliances Coordinator
As 2024 comes to a close, the impact of the November elections has taken national attention to a whole new level.
With a new president in January will also come a new Congress, with Republicans leading both the House and Senate. The New Year will truly be a new chapter for our nation, and that includes challenges and opportunities for the issues that affect technology transfer.
It appears Howard Lutnick, a Wall Street executive, will be nominated by Mr. Trump to lead the Commerce Department, with its important agencies like the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya appears to be the nominee to lead NIH, while other positions are also not yet finalized. Key White House staffers that will interface with these and other government departments are still being hired. And the Senate will be busy early in 2025 working through a long list of nominees that must be confirmed.
Transitions in government are always opportunities to re-examine issues. The incoming administration will likely differ than its predecessor on a myriad of topics. How those differences play out will hold the key to the success or failure of our future advocacy.
Now is a good time to reach out to your federal relations team and senior leadership on campus or your institution. Which of your organization’s priorities will be viewed in a new light? What kind of communications will they be doing with your congressional delegation and the new administration? While new policymakers may have an adverse view on some issues, there may be opportunities to have them support our other activities.
Thankfully, technology transfer has a great story to tell. We can point to the trillions of dollars in positive economic impact that our work has had benefiting the American people. We can talk about why we need to have a strong patent system to encourage the kind of private-sector investment our discoveries often rely upon. And we can provide real-world examples of how the work we do every day on our campuses and at our institutions is making a positive difference in our local regions.
Many of you publish annual reports that summarize that work. Be sure to have enough copies on hand for your goverment relations teams to share with federal and state officials. If you have any year-end events to celebrate your work, think about inviting your congressperson or senator to attend. The more we can teach these political leaders about the value of technology transfer, the better off we will be as issues come before Congress and the federal government.
Another unique opportunity will present itself in March when the AUTM Annual Meeting comes to the Washington D.C. area. On Thursday March 6, teams of technology transfer directors will gather in groups by state and make visits to their congressional delegations on Capitol Hill. This AUTM Hill Day will be a wonderful way to begin or renew a dialogue with lawmakers and their staff, both current and new. Participants in this effort will have their meetings scheduled for them, hopefully led by a federal relations officer for a university from their state. There will be a pre-briefing at the conference on that preceding Tuesday, where we will talk about the issues we want you to raise and the information we hope you will collect. March 6 will be a red-letter day in the history of AUTM, and we look forward to using it help to launch our advocacy for the 119th Congress and the new Trump administration.
Lastly, as the year comes to a close, thanks to all of you who helped your university or institution advocate on behalf of tech transfer in 2024. That effort has made a difference and has helped AUTM remain the strong voice it is for our profession.
Happy Holidays to you all!