Creating ´win-win´ university/industry relationships

Summary form only given as follows. As federal funds become tighter, university researchers will seek industrial sponsorship more often. Satisfying an industrial sponsor is often more difficult than satisfying a federal sponsor. An industrial sponsor´s purpose for funding research is typically to solve an immediate local issue. Consequently, the industrial sponsored researcher must ensure that research findings will improve the sponsor´s current problem. To do this will require researchers to become more involved in implementation. Solving an immediate problem is not the primary objective of most researchers though. It is to create and disseminate new knowledge. To develop successful university/industry partnerships, each phase of the research process must integrate both researcher and practitioner objectives. A critical first step of the process is bringing industrial leaders and researchers together. The Socio-technical Alliance for Industrial Research (STAIR) at Virginia Tech is an example of a mechanism which brings researchers and practitioners together for mutual benefit. Industrial leaders attend bi-annual forums held on campus where they network with peers and researchers. Researchers are exposed to current industrial issues. Funding, access, or consulting have been outcomes from the STAIR forums. Key learnings we have had in relationship building with industrial leaders include: design the research component into the proposal or contract, establishing the research a component of the project; build credibility in helping solve the industrial issue prior to negotiating the research requirements; establish implementation expectations early; and approach consulting projects cautiously if rigorous research methodology is a goal