210 likes | 294 Views
Partnerships and Collaboration: Key Considerations and Working Effectively with Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL ). Natalie Davis Ferguson. Program Manager – University Relations. National Sponsored Programs Administrators Alliance. June 6, 2013. Overview.
E N D
Partnerships and Collaboration: Key Considerations and Working Effectively with Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Natalie Davis Ferguson Program Manager – University Relations National Sponsored Programs Administrators Alliance June 6, 2013
Overview • Key Considerations for Collaborations and Partnerships • GLOBAL: • The “New Normal” and the Effect on Partnerships and Collaborations • REGIONAL: • Understanding SRS/SRNL Missions (Program Areas for Collaboration) • Business Mechanisms for Working with SRNL • SRNL Partnership/Collaboration Contacts • Research Partnerships - Internship Opportunities • Traditional and Externally Funded Internships • National Opportunities • Win – Win – Win Checklist
The “New Normal” has an Effect on Partnerships and Collaborations • National and Global Perspectives and Impacts: • Once plentiful funding is becoming more limited • Global economy, sequestration impacts • Staffing reductions – Industry and institutions are “right-sizing” • Industry focal point - unique business “core competencies” • University tenure more difficult to obtain • Large postdoctoral community – salary deflation • Aging U.S. workforce – workforce pipeline needs • Collaborations are driven toward “Success in the Marketplace” • Financial results and “the product” are key • Student/faculty internships • Faculty and student competition is fierce • Volunteering for work experience is increasing • This is NOT “Bad News,” but factors that must considered in • structuring partnerships: Win – Win – Win
The “New Normal” has an Effect on Partnerships and Collaborations • Structuring Partnerships and Collaborations: • Look for new untapped, uncommonfunding options • The 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 “Integrator” • Understand the strengths and “REACH” each partner brings to the table • Technical (capabilities and competencies) • Workforce Development (professionals and students) • Business strategy/agility - cradle to grave strengths • Advocacy, contacts and ongoing communication • Is your “Product” worth paying for? ($ $ $ $) • Where is your market? Does it develop your community/region? • Does your income stream reach into the future and how? • Are your faculty and students aware of new in-roads to funding and workforce development? • Are you using all of your institutions' resources effectively? (e.g., are business schools as part of research/product development?)
Partnerships and Collaborations on the Regional Level: • Working Effectively With Savannah River National Laboratory • Understanding SRS/SRNL Missions - Program Areas for Collaboration • Business Mechanisms for Working with SRNL • SRNL Partnership/Collaboration Contacts • Research Partnerships - SRNL Internship Opportunities • Traditional Internships • Externally Funded Internships • Win – Win - Win
The Regional Perspective: SRS Mission Management Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC (SRNS) • SRNS is the M&O contractor for DOE’s Savannah River Site in Aiken, S.C. • The primary initiatives for SRNS are national security, clean energy and environmental stewardship. • We provide nuclear materials management to support national defense and U.S. nuclear nonproliferation efforts. • We support the National Nuclear Security Administration by extracting tritium and delivering products to military and weapons design agencies. • We develop and deploy environmental cleanup technologies. • We conduct technology R&D on national energy independence initiatives • Savannah River National Lab (SRNL) provides the R&D and technical support for these initiatives and serves as the DOE-EM Corporate Laboratory
Considerations Prior to University Collaboration and Engagement • SRNL Key Mission Areas: • Environmental Stewardship • National Security • Clean Energy • Nuclear Expertise is the Strategic Mission Focus/Competency • SRNL is an Applied Science Laboratory (versus Basic Research) • Key Questions: • Is your project within or building one of the key mission areas? • Do you have funding to: • Cover your portion of work to be done under a joint proposal? • Send funds to SRNL for work to be done in support of your project?
We Put Science To Work™ • SRNL Supports University Collaboration and Offers: • A Wide Spectrum of Expertise • Availability of Facilities & Equipment • Proposal Letters of Support • Portfolio of Available Technologies for Licensing • Collaborative R& D Opportunities • Collaboration and Technology Information via SRNL’s External Website: http://srnl.doe.gov/index.html • Technology Info via DOE’s Energy Innovation Portal: • http://techportal.eere.energy.gov/
Sponsored Research and Partnering Mechanisms • SRNLStrategic Development and Technical Partnerships Group is the Counterpart to the Office of Sponsored Programs • SRNL Welcomes New Business and Partnering Opportunities Through: • Memorandums of Agreement(MOAs) – Defines overall intention/not legally binding • Collaboration Workshops – January 2013 HBCU-SRNL Event • - Work for Others (WFO) Agreements • - Joint Proposals (University, Industry and Agency Partnerships) • - Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) • - Publications • - Licensing Agreements (Technology Commercialization) • - Externally Funded Internships
Work for Others (WFO) Agreements Primary mechanism for SRNL to perform work for a university • Contracted research work to be done by SRNL for a specific customer • Well-defined scope • Participant pays all costs • Participant must certify that SRNL is not in direct competition with • the domestic private sector • Not intended to create intellectual property • Key REQUIREMENT: • Work must fall within/support SRNL mission • Contacts: John Olschon/Belinda Beckum
Facilitating Partnering Opportunities • University MOAs • Memorandums of Agreement to seek opportunities for collaboration • Baseline business and partnering documents and templates • Principal contacts developed • University Subcontracts • To access key university facilities and expertise • SRNL – HBCU Research Collaboration Workshop – Jan 2013: • Seven HBCUs attended • Student/SRNL Research Poster Sessions (DOE-EM Grant Research) • Working luncheon • Professional networking leading to new collaborations and research programs
Joint Proposals • Developed in conjunction with SRNL Principal Investigator (PI) • in response to broad agency announcement • Must clearly be within SRNL mission areas • Example: Nuclear Regulatory Commission/Workforce Development • Contact your SRNL PI early • SRNL may have limitations on participation • Funding receipt restrictions (No transfer of grant funding allowed) • Best option: Fund each partner directly from funding institution • Externally funded student participants/interns – growing interest • (e.g., for National Science Foundation-type grants) • Timeline is critical– allow sufficient review and approval time through both organizations
UNIVERSITY-SRNL PROPOSAL PREPARATION benefit process • improved • communications • Proactive/Ongoing SRNL Contact: • Program Manager • Principal Investigator (PI) • SD&TP Group • Provide Early Full Proposal Information: • Proposal Requirements • Proposal Schedule • Funding Sources • Personnel/Legal/Contracts/Equip • use of • best practices • Proposal Management: • Project Schedule/Task Coordination • Funds Management/Financial • Writing/Publication Support • increased • efficiency • Continuous • Improvement • Product/Proposal Evaluation: • Win or Lose Lessons Learned • Refined Template – Next Submittal • Closeout Meeting • Internal/External Contacts 13
Business Development through Licensing Agreements • Exclusive, non-exclusive, partially exclusive licenses • Fairness of opportunity required • Solid business plan • License fees and royalties based on sales • SRNL may provide technical assistance • Contacts: • Commercialization Managers: • Dale Haas, Eric Frickey
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) Intended to create intellectual property with commercial potential • If participant invents, participant owns • If SRNL invents, SRNL owns • Joint ownership for joint inventions • U.S. Government retains nonexclusive, worldwide, no cost license • Research tasks split between participant and SRNL • Participant typically pays all costs • Participant may negotiate exclusive license to SRNL inventions for specified period of time • Participant must certify that resulting products will be manufactured in the U.S. or provide a statement of alternative benefits to the U.S. • Contact: John Olschon Hollow Glass Micro Spheres
Example of Partnership: National Lab – University- Industry • National Laboratory • Works to meet mission need and develops new nano-material for energy (hydrogen storage), environment, homeland security and medical applications. • Patent is issued • Patent is available for licensing • University Medical Center and Manufacturer • Obtain license to use Lab technology • Business Result • New medical and industry applications for technology initially meant for National Lab use. • Product is now commercially available • R&D 100 Award Winner • Education Component • Multi-year project for internships and research collaboration Hollow Glass Micro Spheres
SRNL Strategic Development and Technical Partnerships Contacts
Internships: Changing Environment and New Options Integrating internships with partnering and research collaboration • SRNS/SRNL Traditional Internships • Angela Martin, SRNS Human Resources • angela.martin@srs.gov • (803) 952-9287 • Internship Application via SRNS Website: http://www.savannahrivernuclearsolutions.com/ • >Careers>Career Opportunities (Brass Ring) • Must Complete Job Application On-line • Externally Funded Internships • Natalie Davis Ferguson, SRNL SD&TP • natalie.ferguson@srnl.doe.gov • (803) 725-2600
National Internship and Partnering Options • Department of Homeland Security (DHS) • Nuclear Forensics • National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) • Minority Serving Institution Initiative • Multi-HBCU collaboration team based • DOE Fellowship Programs (OS) • Albert Einstein Distinguished Educators • DOE Fellows (Students) • Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science (OS) – Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) – via National Labs • Summer Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) • Community College Initiative (CCI) • Visiting Faculty Program (VFP)
Partnering/Collaboration Summary Checklist: Working with the New Normal • Solid knowledge of potential collaboration areas: • Mission critical • Competency focused • Generation of a clear product with a “Future” • Early communication with SRNL PI and SD&TP • Funding plan (Multi-year/Sponsors) • Strong points of your organization • Win-Win-Win Scenarios: • Technology, Business Development, Advocacy and Workforce Development
University Partnerships and Collaboration • We look forward to hearing from you! • Questions? • Contact: • Natalie Davis Ferguson • Program Manager – University Relations • (803) 725-2600 • natalie.ferguson@srnl.doe.gov