The Far West Region represents the following eight states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The Far West Region is home to over 200 laboratory facilities with research and development (R&D) areas such as energy, aerospace and defense.
The mission of the FLC is to add value to the federal agencies, laboratories, and their partners to accomplish the rapid integration of research and development resources within the mainstream of the U.S. economy. Each Region actively conducts R&D activities seeking partnerships to transfer innovative technologies.
Thousands of groundbreaking technologies produced in Far West regional laboratories have been commercialized to progress various technology industries and grow the Region’s and our nation’s economy.
The Far West Region actively promotes regional tech transfer through its Lab Showcase, Member Connect, Industry and Tech Events, and so much more. Check out our professional development and networking events, as well as our regional award winners that demonstrate outstanding technology transfer programs.
Michelle Gonzalez is the manager of business development, technology transfer, and economic development for Sandia National Laboratories’ California site. She leads initiatives within the Energy and Homeland Security Portfolio and the Sandia Partnerships Organization. Michelle previously served as the business development lead for the Homeland Security Portfolio where she advanced Sandia’s Chem Bio Rad Nuc Defense and Homeland Infrastructure Security Resilience programs. Prior to that, she served in the Chief Research Office working to align and integrate Sandia’s University Partnership strategy and stand up the Academic Alliance program. A graduate of the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management, Michelle joined Sandia in 2013 in Sandia’s Economic Development where she served as the program lead for the Sandia Science and Technology Park. Prior to her time at Sandia, she was a Lockheed Martin employee working for Technology Ventures Corporation whose mission was to commercialize technologies across the Department of Energy Complex.
Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA) representative, the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
Jennifer Stewart serves as the Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA) representative, the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) lead and FLC representative for Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Corona Division, located in the city of Norco, in Southern California. As the ORTA, Jennifer Stewart acts as a broker, connecting Corona Division’s scientists and engineers with academia and industry for a variety of Technology Transfer (T2) and Technology Based Economic Development (TBED) activities.
Stewart, a graduate of California Baptist University, Riverside, Calif., with a bachelor’s degree in business, joined NSWC Corona’s Product Engineering Assessment Department in the measurement science mission area supporting the Marine Corps Infantry Weapons Gage Calibration Program in 2003. Corona Division received its Federal Laboratory designation on Jan. 26, 2010. In December 2012, Stewart left Product Engineering Assessment Department to head up the ORTA position full time as the T2 manager, ORTA.
In addition to serving as ORTA, Stewart is involved in community TBED efforts, supported the establishment and designation of NSWC Corona Division as a host of the Naval X, Inland Empire Tech Bridge supporting Navy innovation and partnerships across both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Stewart serves as a liaison to many TBED regional organizations whose missions support attracting high-technology companies to the Inland Empire region of Southern California.
