Derek Fray

Abstract:

In 2006, about 1.5 million papers were published in the scientific literature, with the number of papers growing at about 2.5% per annum. However, very few of these papers have led to new industrial processes or devices and this presentation will discuss ways of selecting research projects which my lead onto commercialisation. After successfully completing the research, the next challenge is to find ways of turning the idea into commercial practice and this could be via an existing company or raising funds to create a University spin out. The pros and cons of each approach will be discussed. Once the transfer has been initiated, the hard work really starts in developing a process or device which can take years, even for a simple device, and much longer for a metallurgical process. This talk will be illustrated with actual examples from extractive metallurgy, sensors, nanotechnology, wound healing and agriculture, fields in which academic ideas are being translated into commercial reality.