Release date: August 27, 2024
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If you want to take an invention from the lab where it was created and turn it into a product on store shelves, you need many people to come together, align their goals, and overcome the unexpected hurdles along the way. Each of these players may have different priorities, concerns and perspectives, but if you’ve sat in the other person’s seat, it can make a big difference.
Our guest today has sat in more than one of those seats over a career spanning more than 40 years in research and development management. Dick Paul served a 33-year career in the Air Force, working in three Air Force laboratories, leading as the first commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, and retiring as a Major General.
After his military service, Dick became a vice president at Boeing, where he helped lead research and technology for commercial aircraft and defense-related products and systems.
Dick has also served on the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research Advisory Committee and on numerous boards of directors, including chairing the board of the Innovation Research Interchange and vice-chairing the board of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. He is currently the chair of the FLC’s National Advisory Council, and in our conversation, we discuss how his diverse background influences his work in that role.
We also dive into some of the biggest challenges facing technology transfer and how to overcome them, how senior leaders can foster success and more.
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In This Episode:
[03:15] The most revealing part of Dick's experience with tech transfer was when he was Commander of the Air Force Research Lab.
[04:04] He learned how important it was for senior leadership to support orders and tech transfer.
[05:01] Technology transition is taking technologies and moving those to support the military mission. Transfer is using the same technologies for non-military missions.
[07:07] One of the most surprising things he discovered is that the industry doesn't know about Federal labs and tech transfer. We need to focus on educating industry and startups on the existence of federal labs and the T2 mission.
[09:43] Dick was involved in Boeing's research and development activities. Boeing had an external technology office whose mission was to understand what Boeing's needs were and then reach out to companies and find technologies that can meet those needs.
[11:10] Advice includes being proactive about putting yourself in the other player's shoes. This includes going to meetings, tech fairs and SBIR/STTR Phase II conferences. [
12:10] Industry should go to lab days and visit Federal labs when they can. Industry wants to talk to the scientists and the engineers who have the technologies.
[13:17] The NAC is able to advise the FLC's executive board. The NAC is to have a broad diversity of experience.
[14:51] The NAC should only work on topics that the FLC is interested in.
[16:46] Some of the things they work on is how to enhance the tech transformation for the federal labs. FLC operations is another broad category.
[18:42] Dick talks about some of the biggest challenges affecting members of the federal tech transfer ecosystem. He feels one of the greatest opportunities is connecting Federal labs with industry people.
[19:27] Identify industry technology needs and seek solutions. Be strategic about these connections.
[21:17] NAC provides advice and the FLC can use it where applicable.
[22:34] There are all kinds of volunteer opportunities in the FLC. Especially on the Promote, Educate and Facilitate committees.
[23:58] People love working virtually and it enables them to reach out to so many more people.
[26:59] Dick shares advice for people who want to get involved in tech transfer. There's always new horizons so continue to get educated.
[27:41] The FLC has also centralized training programs.
[30:53] Labs do early work on technology but then industry takes the technology and adds to it.