Author Archives: Gerald Barnett

Make-Use Commons in TBED-3

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

I make this claim:  The most important innovation metric of a university technology transfer program is the number of unlicensed inventions for which patent rights are claimed. I argue that unlicensed patents suppress collaboration and innovation, work to the advantage … Continue reading →

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On Innovation

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

This is a speech I’d like to hear from a university president. I’ve imagined a lunch keynote, in a mountain retreat, to folks interested in innovation, technology transfer, and commercialization. Put your dream caps on, folks, imagine tall Douglas fir … Continue reading →

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Do Results Really Matter?

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

Steve Fiore has started an interesting discussion over at Science of Science Policy’s distribution list.  One article he cites shows that negative results are disappearing from scientific journals.  Another shows that a reported effect appears to decline over time as … Continue reading →

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Five Things University Presidents Need to Hear

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

Here are five things many research university presidents need to hear: 1. You are losing money to extramural research administration and folks are raiding instructional programs and tuition to make up their losses. Change this. 2. Your tech transfer office … Continue reading →

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Value Subtracted Marketing

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

I’m reading The Four Steps to the Epiphany by Steven Blank.  Consider this:  “The difference between winners and losers is simple.  Products developed with senior management out in front of customers early and often – win.   Products handed off to … Continue reading →

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Slop Dollars and the Bayh-Dole Character Test

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

A new bill to rewrite parts of Bayh-Dole is under review.  Here is a write up about it.   The idea is that a panel would be set up to explore some portion of royalties on government funded inventions would go … Continue reading →

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Make-Use Commons in TBED, 2

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

In the previous post, I discussed the problem of accumulating a patent portfolio as a way to generate licensing income. A portfolio approach can be financially successful, but in a patent world, it needs only one or two hits a … Continue reading →

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Make-Use Commons in TBED, 1

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

At the Pacific Northwest Economic Region conference in Portland a couple of weeks ago, I introduced the idea of a Make-Use Commons as a means of tying together research patent management and regional economic development.    Let’s work through this idea.  … Continue reading →

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New earth

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

The Supreme Court ruling in Stanford v Roche makes it clear that the Bayh-Dole Act does not vest title in inventions with universities, does not mandate that universities take title, does not constrain inventors to assign only to their university … Continue reading →

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Hairdressers on Everest

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Gerald Barnett

Over at TT2.0, Melba Kurman asks if university technology transfer is under-resourced or under-achieving.  Melba raises very good points about the debate, including the efforts of the Department of Commerce to solicit input about technology transfer, which then just sits, … Continue reading →

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