UA's response to commercialization initiative

11/03/2011

Dr. George Newkome, vice president for research at The University of Akron and president of the University of Akron Research Foundation (UARF), will co-present the first of a series of webinars addressing "President Obama's Initiative on University Research Commercialization: How Universities Plan to Respond."

Newkome will join Dr. Steve Warren, vice chancellor for research and graduate studies for the University of Kansas, to address the topic Tuesday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m.. (EST). Registration for the free webinar is available at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/303692994.

Presented by the National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer, the series addresses President Barack Obama's initiative to convert university research into new products, startups and creation. Commitments from more than 130 American universities to work with industry and investors to sustain entrepreneurship and develop more public-private partnerships rest at the heart of the president’s goal to reinforce commercialization of nearly $148 billion in annual federally funded research and development.

Newkome and Warren each will address this topic for 10 minutes, followed by a 10-minute Q&A session. University officials, federal and state government officials, venture capitalists, angel investors, Global 1000 companies, industry representatives, entrepreneurs, technology transfer professionals, and university faculty and students are expected to participate in the session.

The webinar series is associated with the University Presidents-Investors Summit, a preconference event at the Sixth Annual University Startups Conference, Jan. 18-20 in Washington, D.C. Webinar series sponsors include the National Venture Capital Association, the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds and The University-Industry Demonstration Partnership.


Media contact: Denise Henry, 330-972-6477 or henryd@uakron.edu.