On the Road with AUTM
Barbara Gunderson
AUTM Strategic Programs Officer
On August 6, 2024, Steve Susalka, AUTM CEO, and I went on the road armed with information about AUTM’s impressive international training capabilities, strengths and educational resources. We visited Washington D.C. and met with three government agencies: National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as well as two NGOs: the American Councils for International Education and the National Academies of Sciences (NAS). AUTM has worked with these agencies over the years, and the face-to-face meetings provided opportunities to bolster our relationships.
In addition to strengthening our partnerships, we highlighted the depth and breadth of AUTM’s capabilities and expressed our interest in working together in the future to further advance the profession of technology transfer and economic development around the world.
We outlined recent training programs to demonstrate the flexibility of AUTM’s programs and ability to customize the training to best meet a country’s needs for capacity building. For example, AUTM’s training in Egypt significantly increased the core competencies and tech transfer knowledge of the 64 student participants, as well as the multi-year program in Chile, where the tech transfer ecosystem in now blossoming.
We also highlighted AUTM’s expertise in providing needed perspectives from the tech transfer profession to government agencies, such as the successful program AUTM conducted for NSF in 2023 when Directors of tech transfer offices in each region convened for roundtable discussions on industry-university collaboration models, with a focus on innovative approaches to intellectual property (IP) management.
To our delight, we heard many glowing comments about AUTM’s reputation both domestically and internationally. AUTM Members can rest assured that the organization is a well-respected partner and trusted resource for all those interested in technology transfer around the world! We heard stories of international delegations, most recently from Vietnam, who attended some of AUTM’s in-person training events or region meetings. The delegates were overjoyed by the wealth of knowledge they received at these events and by the collegial nature of the AUTM Membership.
By all accounts the roadshow was an enjoyable and successful event. We appreciated the time our partners took to learn more about AUTM and to share their own goals and aspirations with us. We look forward to many successful endeavors together in the future. And we are always open to new partnerships along the way!