UQ academic staff and PhD students actively involved in research can learn more about getting their ideas, discoveries and inventions out to the global market at UniQuest’s annual research commercialisation workshops.
Researchers from all faculties are invited to apply for the limited places at the two-day training events held off-site at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort on the Sunshine Coast.
The workshop for PhD students will be held on Thursday and Friday April 17 and 18. The workshop for academic staff will be held on Thursday and Friday May 1 and 2. Applications for both workshops are currently being accepted online.
As UQ’s main commercialisation company and the largest Australian technology transfer organisation, UniQuest offers workshop participants a rare opportunity to gain practical knowledge of the processes, pitfalls and potential rewards of commercialising their expertise. Informative and insightful speakers’ presentations are complemented by creative group-work sessions and pitching practice with experienced commercialisation professionals.
Workshop costs are covered by UniQuest, including transport to and from the St Lucia campus.
More than 500 UQ researchers have attended the UniQuest commercialisation workshops in the past five years.
UniQuest Managing Director David Henderson believes the workshops play a significant role in helping researchers achieve both their academic goals and bringing innovations to widespread adoption through commercialisation.
“Since introducing these workshops, the number of disclosures to UniQuest for commercial consideration has risen more than 75 percent," he said.
"The number of patent applications we have filed on behalf of UQ researchers has also increased, while the University has retained its position as one of the top three for publishing in Australia.
“The workshops help researchers understand how a commercial dimension can advance their research profile and objectives, and offer alternatives for attracting the financial support needed to develop their projects and research teams.”
UQ Psychology alumnus Dr Renae Beaumont said attending the workshop for PhD students a few years ago gave her the confidence to pursue a commercial outcome for her research into social skills development for children with Asperger Syndrome.
“I pitched my ideas to Triple P International with a view to licensing the program, and came away with a job offer as well,” said Dr Beaumont, who is now a Senior Training Consultant with the company.
Dr Darren Martin, a materials scientist with the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology who attended the workshop for academic staff in 2006, acknowledges the impact the experience has had on the commercial development of his thermoplastic elastomers project.
“Last year we formed a start-up company, TenasiTech Pty Ltd, to attract investment so we could develop the research further, and we won the i.lab incubator award in UQ Business School’s Enterprize competition," he said.
"The workshop helped me to understand what I was committing to and what the potential rewards might be, and now the project is being reported on Daily Planet, a program on Canada’s Discovery Channel.”
Applications close on March 21 for the PhD students’ workshop and on April 4 for the academic researchers’ workshop. More information is available on the UniQuest website.
Media inquiries: Leanne Wyvill (3365 4307, 0409 767 199).
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