ESCC to Host Technology Transfer Symposium
Published: 2012-10-18
Category: General Announcements
MELFA, VIRGINIA – On Friday November 9 from 8:30 to 11:30 am, Eastern Shore Community College will host a Technology Transfer Symposium to introduce a new initiative of business and job growth, and to increase the public’s awareness about technology transfer. This is one of four such events happening at partner community college locations throughout the DelMarVa region in October and November.
Part of an historic partnership between the region’s four community colleges, the symposium promises to have a significant positive economic development impact on the DelMarVa Peninsula. ESCC’s partners are Maryland’s Chesapeake College and Wor-Wic Community College; and Delaware Technical Community College’s Dover and Georgetown campuses. The Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC), a nonprofit economic development organization in Easton, Maryland is also contributing to the initiative. ESEC’s mission is to advance the creation of an entrepreneurial ecosystem on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Local sponsors for the ESCC event include the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce; the Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce; the Northampton County Chamber of Commerce; and the Small Business Development Center of the Eastern Shore.
The developing initiative, known as the Delmarva Technology Transfer Initiative (DT2i) is being created by the partnership in an effort to increase the access and subsequent commercialization of new product technology throughout the region. Targeted to area manufacturers and entrepreneurs, the partners are developing a professional training program that will be jointly offered by the participating community colleges in an effort to increase the use of technology and innovation. The colleges are in the process of developing more in-depth training programs in what is commonly known as “technology transfer.” These programs will help participants identify commercially viable research already available throughout the federal and university laboratory systems and to develop strategies on how best to exploit it for the benefit of their businesses.
The federal government spends billions of dollars on research and development, a great deal of which never results in commercial value or public benefit. Technology transfer is the process of moving results of scientific research from federal laboratories and universities to the marketplace and society. The main aim of technology transfer is to take fundamental scientific discoveries and innovations that already exist and make them into marketable products so that businesses can generate new avenues of revenue, become more successful, and create more jobs. Another goal is to ensure that the general public benefits from research as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The three-hour symposium will provide an introduction to technology transfer and help business people and entrepreneurs understand how it can enhance product lines and increase profits and productivity. The event includes two local Virginia Eastern Shore entrepreneurs who are building their businesses by taking advantage of the strategies that will be covered in the Symposium. Chris Bentley, Farm Manager for Mid-Atlantic Aquatic Technology Farms, will discuss how that company in Quinby, Virginia leveraged university lab research in building that aquaculture fish farm business. Robert Bridges of Shelter 2.0 will talk about the three-dimensional design and construction techniques his local Eastern Shore business uses to construct low-cost housing and other manufactured structures. Other speakers will include experts in commercialization and technology transfer who can assist manufacturers and entrepreneurs in identifying and accessing technologies ripe for commercialization.
The $10 registration fee includes lunch. Advance registration and payment is required. Doors will open at 8:00 am, and participants are encouraged to arrive early as the Symposium will begin promptly at 8:30 am. To register or for more information about (including the other symposia dates and locations), please visit http://www.DT2i.com or contact Laura Fosque at (757) 789-7979 or Lfosque@es.vccs.edu.
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Eastern Shore Community College is a comprehensive two-year institution in the Virginia Community College System serving Accomack and Northampton Counties. Founded in 1971, the College offers transfer education programs and career/technical/occupational degree and certificate training as well as professional education and workforce development. ESCC is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and is an equal opportunity institution.
