Meet Your Board: Derek Parks

Meet Your Board is a regular series spotlighting each member of the FLC's Executive Board, the governing body responsible for carrying out the organization's mandated mission to promote, educate and facilitate federal technology transfer.

Derek Parks: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commercialization Manager

1. What has drawn you to a career in federal technology transfer?

Absolute randomness, truthfully. I had been working as the Executive Secretariat for the NOAA Research Council for a number of years and was looking for a next step. The opportunity to do a short-term detail to complete the annual Technology Transfer Report for NOAA came up and I thought, why not? There wasn't anybody working on tech transfer for NOAA at the time, so I had to educate myself by reading through the FLC Green Book and other resources. I had no idea the federal government could do these things. Most of the skills required were a direct match to my skills and interests, so I was hooked right from the beginning.

2. What motivates you to volunteer your time to serve on the Board?

Working with the Board gives me an opportunity to engage and interact with my peers, which is rarely possible otherwise. I have a chance to learn about what other agencies are doing and take advantage of the best practices I can find across the spectrum. Working for the Board also opens up opportunities to travel to federal facilities I wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to visit. Our recent tour of the Fermilab outside of Chicago is an example. 

3. What strength or skill do you bring to your position on the Board?

I am a big fan of system and process optimization. I like to understand and break down complex human systems into individual components and then try to improve them where possible. I am sure it can be irritating to others that I am always trying to "fix" things, but it is a natural tendency for me.

4. As you and the Board guide the FLC's future direction, what do you anticipate will have the most significant impact on the landscape of federal tech transfer in the coming years?

My hope is that our efforts to develop products and services will benefit the sole-practitioner labs. After working for a decade as the sole T2 practitioner for NOAA, I know how difficult it is to get resources for even basic things, such as a web page or patent/agreements management software. I am hoping we can leverage the resources of the full Federal lab ecosystem to support those individuals who are barely keeping their heads above water.

5. What is one little-known fact about yourself?

I like to play music as a hobby. I have played guitar for 40+ years, but also play bass and drums, and I have recently started learning piano. I was heavily involved in music during high school, but now it is more of a hobby. Maybe when I retire, I can start touring - who knows?