Panel: Opportunities & methods to encourage more women toward research commercialization

Abstract

Recent reports and analyses have identified that women tend to commercialize research and engage with industry/entrepreneurship at a much lower rate than men. A multitude of programs exist to help researchers transition from an academic laboratory into business ventures around a particular technology. Universities have personnel and support programs to help guide patent applications, form business entities, seek early stage funding, and network with entrepreneurship incubators and programs. This paper seeks to demystify this process such that more women are encouraged to further develop their intellectual capital and pursue commercialization ventures. The information included herein is compiled from panel members, is introductory in nature and utilized as a preliminary, enabling resource. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2013.