Publications

Sandia National Laboratories has developed a portfolio of programs to address the critical skills needs of the DP labs, as identified by the 1999 Chiles Commission Report. The goals are to attract and retain the best and the brightest students and transition them into Sandia--and DP Complex--employees. The US Department of Energy/Defense Programs University Partnerships funded seven laboratory critical skills development programs in FY02. This report provides a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of these programs and their status.

This case study describes a success in technology transfer out of Sandia National Laboratories that resulted in commercialization supporting both the laboratories' national security mission and economic development. This case exemplifies how the process of technology innovation stretches from national legislation to laboratory management to entrepreneurs, and then out into the community where the technology must be developed and commercialized if innovation is to occur. Two things emerged from the research for this case study that have implications for technology transfer and commercialization from other national laboratories and may also be relevant to technology commercialization out of other federal laboratories and universities. The first is the very clear theme that partnerships were critical to the ultimate successful commercialization of the technology--partnerships between public and private research groups as well as between business development groups. The second involves identifiable factors that played a role in moving the process forward to successful commercialization. All of the factors, with two significant exceptions, focused on technology and business development directly related to creating research and business partnerships. The two exceptions, a technology with significant market applications, and entrepreneurs willing and able to take the risks and accomplish the hard work of technology innovation, were initiating requirements for the process.