LABORATORY DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

Laboratory Director of the Year Award

Award Category Description

The FLC National Advisory Council honors Laboratory Directors who have provided exemplary leadership in promoting, supporting, and executing the technology transfer mission of their organization. This award is open to commanders or directors of laboratories, R&D centers, research institutes, or similar federal entities that conduct research and technology development and engage in technology transfer as part of their mission. The award criteria are based on specific accomplishments by the Laboratory Director related to technology-transfer activities internal and external to the Laboratory, as well as a significant example of technology transfer enabled by the Laboratory Director’s personal involvement. The Award’s intent is to recognize the critical importance of top-down leadership and support to the overall success of a Laboratory’s technology transfer mission while the nominee has led this laboratory.

There are TWO CATEGORIES for this award: small laboratories (less than 1000 employees) and large laboratories (1000 employees or more). Each category will be judged separately, with at least one Laboratory Director of the Year Award made for each category assuming nominations meet minimum acceptable quality in the opinion of the judges.

At the discretion of the judges, more than one nominee in either category may receive this award in any given year.

Recipients of the Laboratory Director of the Year Award are expected to attend the FLC National Meeting to accept the award and participate in the Lab Directors Forum, led by the chair of the NAC.

Explore past Laboratory Director of the Year Award winners here.

Submission Criteria

All FLC Awards submissions must be submitted through the lab’s designated agency or laboratory representative.

  1. Tell us about the laboratory, including how many full-time employees and full-time ORTA/Tech Transfer personnel work there. Describe how technology transfer relates to the laboratory's purpose and mission. The primary purpose of this question is to provide context for answers to the remaining criteria. [400 words maximum]
  2. Describe how the nominee has personally been involved with, and made a positive impact on, technology transfer within the Laboratory. Consider the culture, organizational prominence, internal visibility, and support of the ORTA, Laboratory staff, and scientists and engineers. Include specific examples. [35 points/500 words maximum]
  3. Describe how the nominee has personally been involved with industry, the business community, government leaders, academia, public and private-sector partners, and other stakeholders in the tech transfer ecosystem in furtherance of the laboratory’s tech transfer mission. Include specific examples. [35 points/500 words maximum]
  4. Describe a specific example of a successful technology transfer in which the nominee was personally involved and played a pivotal role. [30 points/500 words maximum]

Disclaimer: The judges will have a wide range of backgrounds and expertise. Accordingly, please use non-technical language to the extent possible and explain technical terms where needed. Use clear, concise language in all narrative descriptions.