The Irish Universities Association (IUA) today announces the appointment of Alison Campbell as Director of Technology Transfer. Dr Campbell will head up the soon to be established central Technology Transfer Office at Enterprise Ireland, which will act as a focal point for the development of commercialisation in the universities and wider public research system.
The central Technology Transfer Office (cTTO) will add a new dimension to the national research and commercialisation infrastructure. Its goal is to ensure that intellectual property (IP) arising from public research is effectively captured and developed to spin off new jobs and new business in indigenous and foreign owned firms here.
The collaboration between IUA and Enterprise Ireland reflects the shared desire of the universities and the Government to create an innovation ecosystem which drives export led growth and capitalises on the talent and ideas of researchers in both the public and private sector, as reflected in the national framework for IP: ‘Putting Public Research to Work for Ireland’.
Dr Campbell has an outstanding track record in the field of research and technology transfer, beginning as an industry scientist and also having acted as CEO of the UK Medical Research Council. More recently she was Managing Director of King’s College London Business Ltd and has also acted as a consultant to public and private sector organisations. Alison is currently non-executive Director of PraxisUnico – the UK technology transfer association, and was awarded an OBE in 2010 in recognition of her contribution to Technology Transfer. As a member of the team that reviewed the Irish Technology Transfer Office for Enterprise Ireland in 2010, and SFI in 2012, she possesses a strong insight into the key stakeholders in the Irish marketplace.
Commenting on the importance of the cTTO to Ireland Alison Campbell said: ‘Ireland is in a good place, it has invested effectively in science. Its TTOs and universities offer a strong baseline to build upon and gain benefits from the sum of the parts. Through the creation of the cTTO, the role as its Director represents a unique opportunity to add value to Ireland’s innovation ecosystem. There is a story to be told here reflecting achievements and imbuing confidence’.
Ned Costello, Chief Executive of IUA, welcomed the appointment saying: ‘I am delighted to welcome Dr Campbell as the new Director of Technology Transfer. Alison has an exceptional mix of private and public sector experience that positions her ideally to build on existing investments in research and commercialisation. By working closely with all the stakeholders in the system we can generate more and better IP and, most importantly, ensure that it is transformed into wealth and jobs’.
Frank Ryan, Enterprise Ireland CEO, commented: ‘I am delighted to welcome Dr Campbell to Enterprise Ireland, and look forward to seeing some great results from her and her colleagues in the cTTO. Industries across the world are looking for ways to become more innovative and ultimately competitive. The focus of the cTTO will be to improve both national and international companies’ ability to access the wealth of experience and IP present in the Irish publicly funded research system. The cTTO will ensure that the major research strengths we have built up over the past decade are directed firmly towards viable business ideas and ultimately jobs’.
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For more information contact:
Lia O’Sullivan, Communications Manager, IUA lia.osullivan@iua.ie 01 6764948