Research and Testing
Tanya Berger-Wolf, a professor of evolution, ecology and organismal biology, uses the power of artificial intelligence to comb through thousands of photos of animals, opening a wealth of newfound information for conservationists at a time when the stakes have never been higher.
Are we alone in the universe? Ohio State astronomers and exoplanet researchers Caprice Phillips, Ji Wang and Scott Gaudi are looking to a new satellite telescope Twinkle, in search of an answer.
The Ohio State-led QuSTEAM initiative was awarded $5 million from the National Science Foundation to develop a diverse and contemporary quantum-ready workforce by revolutionizing and creating more equitable pathways to quantum science education.
Tanya Berger-Wolf, a professor of evolution, ecology and organismal biology, uses the power of artificial intelligence to comb through thousands of photos of animals, opening a wealth of newfound information for conservationists at a time when the stakes have never been higher.
Are we alone in the universe? Ohio State astronomers and exoplanet researchers Caprice Phillips, Ji Wang and Scott Gaudi are looking to a new satellite telescope Twinkle, in search of an answer.
The Ohio State-led QuSTEAM initiative was awarded $5 million from the National Science Foundation to develop a diverse and contemporary quantum-ready workforce by revolutionizing and creating more equitable pathways to quantum science education.
Research in the college ranges across the physical and life sciences, behavioral and social sciences, and arts and humanities. However, our subject matter experts are not simply defined by distinct, narrow disciplines. Their research utilizes cutting edge technologies and analytical techniques, and rich, inventive thinking – all of which can be leveraged by our industry partners to solve problems and create valuable innovations.
Collaborative projects can span all levels of technology readiness from applied research resulting in patentable inventions to fundamental scientific explorations to establish the knowledge base for your R&D strategy. Non-laboratory-based research includes market research and consumer behavior, climate risk assessments and mitigation, foreign language/culture tools, VR/AR for employee training, industrial design, AI/ML and data analytics.
Elizabeth provides single point of contact (SPOC) support for companies interested in engaging with faculty for research and testing/service projects. As your SPOC, she will find the best university expertise and research assets to meet your needs, help you navigate the research administration processes, discuss university policies such as IP management and publication rights, be available to ‘translate’ between our industry partner and university researchers, and intercede if problems arise.
Please contact Elizabeth or Cheryl for more information or peruse the information below.
Information for Industry Partners
The College of Arts and Sciences is home to 38 academic departments and 20+ world-class research centers.
The Office of Sponsored Programs manages contracting and the research administration process for industry sponsored projects. You will be working with the PI’s Sponsored Programs Officer (SPO) to negotiate the single-use Sponsored Research Agreement (SRA) or Master Research Agreement (MRA) or Testing/Services Agreement. The SPO is also responsible for creating the project budget and will share the project cost and statement of work with you for approval. If a publication restriction is requested and approved by the PI, the SPO will work with an export control officer to perform an export control review of the scope of work and create a Technology Control Plan if needed.
The Technology Commercialization Office manages Ohio State-owned intellectual property including the patent protection process and IP licensing. Inventions developed during an industry collaboration will be disclosed to TCO and the TCO will disclose the invention to the company. Control of patent protection will be governed by the terms in the executed research agreement.
The Ohio State University offers industry partners the opportunity to engage with our competitive intelligence (CI) experts. Starting with a company’s R&D strategy and technology needs, bibliometric and proposal information from the university, and data from national databases, CI is used to provide actionable research and strategic intelligence in the forms of unbiased landscape and situation analyses and research expertise maps and networks that are used to drive industry engagement with faculty and utilization of university research assets.
University-industry collaborations typically are defined as ‘research projects’ or ‘testing/service projects’. Properly defining the type of project is important because it determines the legal agreement used to govern the relationship. Projects that are ‘open ended’ questions and have the possibility of resulting in foreground (new) intellectual property are considered research projects. The university maintains publication rights for research projects although the sponsor is provided with a review period during which confidential company information can be removed and patent protection can be requested. Projects that use established methodology to collect data or information without the creation of intellectual property are considered testing or service projects. If a company and a PI mutually agree to forego publication, the project work scope must undergo an export control review and a Technology Control Plan will be created by the university if needed.
Ohio State offers industry sponsors several options to obtain rights to use, or ownership of, industry sponsored project foreground intellectual property (IP).
Option to negotiate a license
The sponsor will have six months to review an invention and negotiate a license agreement with the Technology Commercialization Office for rights to use, or own, that IP.
Non-exclusive rights
The sponsor can opt to pay an upfront Technology Access Fee (TAF) for non-exclusive (royalty-free) rights. This fee is non-refundable.
Assignment of foreground IP
The sponsor can pay an upfront Technology Access Fee (TAF) for assignment (ownership) of the patentable foreground IP. This fee is non-refundable.
The two Technology Access Fee options cannot be offered to a sponsor if:
- Ohio State Background Intellectual Property will be used in the project
- The sponsor is not paying the full-cost reimbursement rate for the project.
- The project involves research in the health sciences.