Academic Innovator’s Blueprint Series
The Office for Economic & Business Engagement is partnering with the UA Graduate School to provide an inaugural workshop series, Academic Innovator’s Blueprint Series, to UA graduate students and postdoc researchers in the month of March. This engaging series aims to equip UA junior researchers with essential knowledge and skills in intellectual property (IP), technology commercialization, and entrepreneurship, with the goal of igniting their interest in commercializing research innovations and preparing them for diverse career opportunities.
Overview of the Workshop Series
The Academic Innovator’s Blueprint Series comprised three enriching workshops held throughout the month of March. Each workshop delved into crucial aspects of IP, technology commercialization, and entrepreneurship, offering valuable insights and practical guidance tailored to the need of UA’s junior academic innovators.
Workshop 1 – Intellectual Property 101: Navigating the Basics for Academic Innovators
In the inaugural workshop, participants explored the fundamentals of IP tailored specifically for academic contexts. From patents to copyrights, trademarks to trade secrets, attendees gained a understanding of how to protect and leverage their academic creations effectively.
Date and Time: Friday, March 1, 11:00am–12:00pm
Location: 118 Autherine Lucy Hall
Workshop 2 – From Lab to Market: Mastering the Art of Intellectual Property Commercialization
The second workshop focused on the journey from laboratory research to market-ready solutions. Attendees delved into the importance of technology commercialization, explored various strategies, and learned how to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial application successfully.
Date and Time: Friday, March 22, 11:00am–12:00pm
Location: 118 Autherine Lucy Hall
Workshop 3 – Crafting Winning Strategies: Business Model Generation for Academic Entrepreneurs
In the final workshop, participants discovered innovative approaches to developing business models aligned with their academic pursuits. Whether junior researchers or budding entrepreneurs, attendees gained valuable insights into crafting winning strategies for academic ventures.
Date and Time: Friday, March 29, 11:00am–12:00pm
Location: 118 Autherine Lucy Hall
Next Steps
As we reflect on the impact of this workshop series, we look forward to continuing our efforts to empower UA’s academic innovators. Stay tuned for future initiatives aimed at fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration.
Contact Information
The speaker is Dr. Ying Qin, the assistant director of commercialization & business engagement. Ying is a multifaceted professional with extensive experience in research and development, technology commercialization, and entrepreneurial advocacy. She is a certified instructor for NSF I-Corps, and she served as program manager at UA I-Corps Site from 2018 to 2022.
For inquiries or further information, please contact Ying at yqin@ua.edu.