Patterns of Research and Licensing Activity of Science and Engineering Faculty

Abstract

University research is increasingly importantfor industrial innovation. Licensing provides an incentive for both faculty andcompanies to undertake the development of federally-funded ideas and theirtransfer to industry. However, skeptics question the effects of licensing onthe conduct of university research, claiming academic publication would besufficient to transmit university research to industry. Potential financialreturns from licensing have diverted faculty to applied research. This study examines the personal and research characteristics of 3,241science and engineering faculty at six major universities over the years1983-1999. The data allow study of the evolution of faculty research andlicensing, and its relationship to characteristics such as individual age andacademic quality of their department.Differences in patterns acrossuniversities and disciplines in life and physical sciences can be examined. It was found that as publications increase, likelihood of inventiondisclosure also increases. Only a small portion of faculty engage in licensing;80% disclosed never or only once in the seventeen-year period. Over time, thepercentage who licensed per year increased from 1 in 100 (1983) to 1 in 10(1996). Hence, the increase in licensing was concentrated in a minority offaculty. The direction of faculty research also did not change. Tenured facultydisclose more often than non-tenured. Overall, results suggest a need for astructural model to control for other factors. (TNM)

Keywords: Technology transfer, Licenses, Patents, Academic research, Inventors, Scholarly publications, Colleges & universities, Faculty