>>> SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOUNDATION FOR
EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC
BROADCASTING.
AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
HELLO AND WELCOME TO "LOUISIANA
PUBLIC SQUARE."
I'M BETH COURTNEY, PRESIDENT OF
LPB.
>> AND I'M ROBERT TRAVIS SCOTT,
PRESIDENT OF THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS
RESEARCH COUNCIL OF LOUISIANA.
HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED HOW
MUCH WE BENEFIT FROM THE
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
HAPPENING AT HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS?
HERE IN LOUISIANA, UNIVERSITY
R&D HAS PRODUCED THE DOMESTIC
AND HARDY JAZZMAN RICE,
INNOVATIVE METHODS TO PROCESS
BIG DATA, BREAKING THROUGHS IN
CYBER-SECURITY AND A
REVOLUTIONARY AIR CONDITIONING
SYSTEM, TO NAME A FEW.
>> MOVING UNIVERSITY INNOVATION
TO THE MARKETPLACE IS CALLED
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.
SHOULD THAT BE ONE OF THE GOALS
OF COLLEGE RESEARCH?
AND IF SO, WHAT THE BEST WAY TO
MAKE THAT HAPPEN?
OVER THE NEXT HOUR WE'LL HEAR
THE OPINIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY
RESEARCHERS, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT LEADERS, AND MEMBERS
OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE'LL ALSO LEARN ABOUT THE STATE
OF R&D ON LOUISIANA COLLEGE
CAMPUSES AND WE'LL EXAMINE
WHETHER THESE EFFORTS MAY BE IN
JEFF DI BECAUSE OF BUDGETARY
PRESSURES, ALL THIS AND MORE AS
WE EXPLORE INNOVATION MATTERS.
DR. MANDI LOPEZ KNOWS THAT ONE
NEW DISCOVERY CAN TAKE A LONG
TIME TO GET TO MARKET.
>> I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS
DEVICE FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS.
IT IS LICENSED BY TESA MEDICAL,
AND IT IS PATENTED BY LSU.
>> LOPEZ IS A RESEARCHER AT
LSU'S VET SCHOOL.
SHE SAYS SHE NOTICED THE
PROBLEMS DOCTORS HAVE WHEN
PERFORMING ACL RECONSTRUCTIVE
SURGERY ON KNEES SO SHE INVENTED
SOMETHING TO SOLVE THEM.
SHE CAME UP WITH THE GRAFT GRAB,
A DEVICE THAT MAINTAINS THE
TENSION IN THE LIGGAMENT AFTER
CERTAINLIRY.
>> BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE IN
DEVELOPING AND WORKING WITH
MEDICAL DEVICES I PROPOSED A NEW
APPROACH, TO DEVELOP A DEVICE
THAT DID NOT REQUIRE ANY EXTRA
INSTRUMENTS TO USE.
>> LOPEZ SAYS THAT AS A
SCIENTIST AT A UNIVERSITY, IT'S
IN HER NATURE TO OBSERVE AND
SOLVE PROBLEMS.
HER PROCESS STEMS FROM OBSERVING
A PROBLEM HERSELF, BUT OTHER
PROFESSORS SAY INDUSTRY BRINGS
ITS PROBLEMS TO THEIR LABS.
DR. TERRY CHAMBERS STUDIES SOLAR
THERMAL POWER AT THE CLECO
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY CENTER AT UL
LAFAYETTE.
>> WITH REGARD TO THIS
PARTICULAR CENTER WE WERE
APPROACHED BY CLECO POWER
L.L.C. PROBABLY FOUR YEARS AGO.
THEY SAID, WE HAVE DECIDED THAT
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO
INVESTIGATE RENEWABLE ENERGY.
ALSO AFTER THAT INITIAL INDE.
OTHER COMPANIES HAVE MADE
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS AS WELL.
>> A RECENT REPORT BY THE PUBLIC
AFFAIRS RESEARCH COUNSEL, OR
PAR, TOUTED UL LAFAYETTE AS A
MODEL FOR WHAT R&D COULD LOOK
LIKE AT A HIGHER ED INSTITUTION.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THEIR
FUNDING MODEL.
A LARGE PART OF THEIR RESEARCH,
19%, IS FUNDED BY THE PRIVATE
SECTOR.
THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 5%.
CAMILLE CONAWAY WITH THE
LOUISIANA ASSOCIATION OF
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY WROTE THE
REPORT.
>> STATES THAT HAVE A STRONG
INNOVATION ECONOMY AND A STRONG
HIGHER EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL
PARTNERSHIP, THOSE ARE STATES
THAT ARE CREATING
KNOWLEDGE-BASED JOBS.
THOSE ARE STATES THAT ARE
PRIORITIZING 21st CENTURY
JOBS.
BASIC RESEARCH IS REALLY
IMPORTANT AND CLEARLY
FUNDAMENTAL AND A PRIMARY
FUNCTION OF UNIVERSITIES,
APPLIED RESEARCH AND GETTING IT
TO MARKET IS A STATED GOAL OF
MOST PUBLICLY FUNDED RESEARCH.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS TO BENEFIT
THE PUBLIC AT LARGE AND NOT TO
HAVE THAT RESEARCH SIT IN A LAB.
>> CHAMBERS SAYS ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT SEEPS INTO EVERY
PART OF HIS MISSION AS A
RESEARCHER.
NOT ONLY IS THE CENTER TRAINING
STUDENTS TO BE ENGINEERS BUT HE
HOPES HIS RESEARCH WILL AID IN
CULTIVATING A NEW INDUSTRY IN
LOUISIANA.
>> LOUISIANA IS KNOWN THROUGHOUT
THE WORLD AS A PLACE TO COME IF
YOU WANT TO DO OFFSHORE OIL
WORK, RIGHT?
WE HAVE A TON OF COMPANIES HERE
IN LOUISIANA WITH A LOT OF
EXPERTISE IN THE OIL AND GAS
INDUSTRY.
THEY HAVE ALL THE SKILLS THAT
THEY NEED IF WE CAN TEACH THEM
HOW TO TRANSFER THOSE SKILLS
THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE FROM THE
OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY INTO THE
RENEWABLE AND SUSTAINABLE POWER
AND FUEL INDUSTRY.
>> DR. RAMESH KOLLURU SAYS HE
TRIES TO INSTILL THAT ATTITUDE
AT EVERY LEVEL OF THE
UNIVERSITY.
>> OUR CORVALIS AT UL LAFAYETTE
IS THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO
RESEARCH FOR A REASON.
SO WHILE WE HAVE A LOT OF BASIC
RESEARCHERS THAT DO A LOT OF
FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE AND
RESEARCH, WE PRIDE OUR ABILITY
TO WORK WITH BUSINESS AND
INDUSTRY AND TRANSLATE WHAT IT
IS WE DO TO SOLUTIONS THAT HELP
THOSE COMPANIES GENERATE NEW
PRODUCTS OR OFTEN USED SERVICES.
>> NOT ALL HIGHER ED RESEARCHERS
AGREE WITH WHAT'S STATED IN THE
REPORT ABOUT COMMERCIALIZING
R&D.
LSU PRESIDENT DR. KING ALEXANDER
SAYS HE DOESN'T THINK THE REPORT
SEES THE WHOLE PICTURE.
>> TICK TRANSFER IS A BY PRODUCT
OF THE MUCH LARGER PICTURE OF
R&D.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN COME
FROM RAILROADED.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING SOCIETY SAFER.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING OUR COASTAL
WETLANDS MORE RESILIENT, ABOUT
TRAINING FOR HOMELAND SECURITY.
>> THE REPORT LOOKS AT SCHOOLS
BASED ON THE NUMBER OF
DISCLOSURES, PATENTS AND
LICENSES PRODUCED PER MILLION
DOLLARS PUT INTO R&D.
IT'S A METRIC USED BY MANY
ORGANIZATIONS TO COMPARE SCHOOLS
ACROSS THE NATION.
KOLLURU WOULD RATHER MEASURE THE
NUMBER OF COMPANIES AND JOBS
CREATED.
>> FOR US THE TRUE MEASURE OF A
CONTRIBUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY
TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE
KIND OF ACTIVITIES THAT ALL OF
OUR UNIVERSITIES WERE INVOLVED
IN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH
LED, RECRUITING ESTABLISHED
COMPANIES IN LOUISIANA AND ADD
THE NUMBER OF JOBS DIRECTLY AND
INDIRECTLY TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
THERE'S NO BETTER INDICATOR OF
INNOVATION AND INNOVATION THAN
THAT.
>> DR. VALSARAJ SAYS THE
UNIVERSITY'S CONTRIBUTIONS MAY
BE EVEN MORE INTANGIBLE THAN
THAT.
>> RESEARCH DOESN'T ALWAYS END
UP IN SOMETHING VERY PRODUCTIVE.
I GIVE THE EXAMPLE OF EINSTEIN.
IF EINSTEIN WERE HERE TODAY
WOULD YOU CALL HIM A VERY
INNOVATIVE LEADER?
NO.
MUCH OF HIS IDEAS AT THAT TIME
WERE SO REVOLUTIONARY NOBODY
PICKED IT BE UP, RIGHT?
TECH TRANSFER IS NOT THE END ALL
FOR ANY UNIVERSITY.
THE UNIVERSITY HAS A LOT MORE
PURPOSE THAN JUST TRANSFERRING
THE TECHNOLOGY.
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER IS WHAT WE
REALLY DO.
>> THINGS ARE CHANGING ACROSS
THE STATE.
IN THE TIME AFTER CONAWAY
GATHERED DATA FOR THE REPORT,
DISCLOSURE NUMBERS AT LSU GREW.
THEY HAVE MORE THAN TRIPLED AT
THE LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
IN NEW ORLEANS.
CONAWAY SAYS NEW LEADERSHIP IS
FOSTERING A PROMISING DIRECTION
FORIN' R&D.
ALL THAT COULD BE AT RISK
WITHOUT PROPER FUNDING FROM THE
STATE.
LEADERS AT EVERY INSTITUTION SAY
FACULTY ARE LEAVING AND IT'S
HARD TO ATTRACT THE EXCELLENT
RESEARCHERS NEEDED TO DRIVE
INNOVATION.
CONAWAY SAYS THERE'S A
CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED FUND
FOR RESEARCH.
IT'S CALLED THE SUPPORT FUND,
AND ITS ALLOCATION COULD BE
REFOCUSED TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE.
SHE SAYS THERE ARE OTHER LOW
COST MEASURES THAT LEADERS COULD
TAKE TO IMPROVE RESEARCH.
>> COLLOCATE HIGHER EDUCATION
AND ECONOMIC DO.
WHEN YOU HAVE LEADERS EVEN ON
THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE WORKING
PHYSICALLY ACROSS THE STREET
FROM EACH OTHER THE LINE AT
STARBUCKS WOULD GENERATE IDEAS
BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL WALKING
BACK TO THEIR OFFICES TOGETHER.
WHEN THE NEW GOVERNOR MAKES A
APPOINTMENTS TO REGENTS THAT
SHOULD BE PART OF THE
CONVERSATION TO IN THE UH BOARD
OF REGENTS APPOINTEES.
THERE ARE SOME VERY SMALL THINGS
THAT A NEW ADMINISTRATION COULD
DO AS WELL AS MORE IMPORTANT
THINGS.
>> JOINING US TO EXPLORE WHAT
THOSE IMPORTANT THINGS ARE IS
OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE.
IT INCLUDES LEADERS IN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, HIGHER EDUCATION
AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.
WE ALSO HAVE LEADERSHIP
LOUISIANA ALUMNI FROM NEW
ORLEANS AND THE TOWN OF SCOTT.
PLUS MEMBERS OF LOUISIANA'S
LEGISLATIVE YOUTH ADVISORY
COUNCIL FROM BATON ROUGE AND
MANDEVILLE.
THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR BEING
HERE.
LSU'S PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH LAB
CREATED A SURVEY ON TONIGHT'S
TOPIC THAT LOUISIANA RESIDENTS
RESPONDED TO ONLINE.
HERE'S A LOOK AT SOME OF THE
FINDINGS.
WHEN ASKED HOW MUCH OF A IMANT
RESEARCH PERFORMED BY PUBLIC
UNIVERSITIES IN LOUISIANA HAS ON
THEIR COMMUNITIES A COMBINED
TOTAL OF 70% OF RESPONDENTS SAY
SIGNIFICANT OR NOTICEABLE IMPACT
WHILE A TOTAL OF 27% THINK THE
IMPACT IS SMALL OR MINOR.
3% SAYS UNIVERSITY RESEARCH HAS
NO IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITIES.
ASKED TO GIVE THEIR OPINION ON
THE IMPACT THAT STATE GOVERNMENT
SPENDING HAS ON UNIVERSITY R&D
IN LOUISIANA ECONOMY, A TOTAL OF
82% SAY A VERY OR SOMEWHAT
POSITIVE IMPACT.
A TOTAL OF 7% SAY A SOMEWHAT OR
VERY NEGATIVE IMPACT.
11% SAY NEITHER POSITIVE NOR
NEGATIVE IMPACT.
FINALLY ON THE QUESTION OF
WHETHER THE MISSION OF
UNIVERSITIES SHOULD BE TO SPUR
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
INNOVATION, THE VAST MAJORITY OF
RESPONDENTS, 88%, SAY YES.
12% SAY NO.
SO LET'S START THERE.
HOW CAN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITIES
DO A BETTER JOB IN RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT?
WHAT ARE OUR STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES AND I WOULD LIKE TO
CALL ON MICHAEL OLIVER, THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE COMMITTEE
OF 100, A STATEWIDE
ORGANIZATION.
YOU HAVE BOTH BUSINESS PEOPLE
AND UNIVERSITY LEADERS ON YOUR
BOARD.
HOW DO YOU SEE THIS FROM YOUR
BIG PICTURE VIEW, MIKE?
>> THE COMMITTEE OF 100 IS A
BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE IN
LOUISIANA.
AS YOU SAID, WITH OVER 100 SEA
LEVEL PEOPLE WHO ARE FORWARD
THINKING THAT INCLUDES TEN
UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS THAT ARE
MEMBERS, THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR
US IS WORK FORCE.
WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE THE KINDS OF
PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO
BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY LOOK FOR THE
INNOVATION BUT ALSO TAKE THE
TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLY THEM.
FOR US IT'S WORK FORCE.
>> HOW ABOUT THAT?
WE ALSO HAVE SOMEBODY HERE,
MR. ANDREW MOTT.
YOU'RE HANDS ON ON THE
UNIVERSITY LEVEL AT LSU.
YOUR TITLE THERE IS DIRECTOR OF
INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
COMMERCIALIZATION.
TELL WAS IT'S LIKE FROM YOUR
POINT OF VIEW RIGHT THERE IN THE
TRENCHES.
>> SO THE FIRST MISSION OF OUR
UNIVERSITY IS TO EDUCATE
STUDENTS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THAT.
ONE OF THE TOOLS WE USE FOR
EDUCATION IS RESEARCH.
AT THE HIGHER LEVELS OF
EDUCATION, MASTER'S AND PH.D
LEVEL, PUSHING INTO THE
UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL AS RESEARCH.
THAT USUALLY SPURS DEVELOPMENT,
SOME SORT OF TECHNOLOGY THAT
PLAY COME OUT OF IT.
GETTING THAT OUT INTO THE WORLD
IS ONE OF THE MISSIONS OF THE
UNIVERSITY, GETTING IT TO BE
USED WHETHER THERE'S AN ECONOMIC
BENEFIT FROM IT OR NOT.
WE WANT TO GET IT DISPERSED JUST
LIKE THE KNOWLEDGE CREATION THAT
COMES FROM OUR SCHOLARS DOING
RESEARCH AND WRITING BOOKS.
>> ANDREW, WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT
THE UNIVERSITY IS DOING
DIFFERENTLY TO HELP MAKE THAT
BETTER?
>> THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS WE
HAVE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE LAST
12 MONTHS, ONE THE LIFT FUND FOR
LEFT RATION INNOVATION FOR
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER SPECIFICALLY
GEARED AT CREATING PROOF OF
CONCEPT DEVICES.
OFTEN FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH
DOESN'T PAY FOR THAT LEAPING OF
THE BRIDGING OVER.
SO THIS PROVIDES SMALL AMOUNTS
OF FUNDING TO HELP CREATE THE
WIDGET, TO GET IT IN FRONT OF
THE BUSINESS PLAYERS THAT ARE
INTERESTED IN IT.
>> ADAM MATH IS HERE, CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OF THE BATON ROUGE
CHAMBER.
ADAM, HOW ARE WE DOING AND HOW
CAN WE DO BETTER?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK YOU
HEAR AROUND THE STATE TODAY IS A
LOT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT
DIVERSIFYING THE ECONOMY.
REALLY FOR OUR ORGANIZATION AND
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS AROUND
THE STATE, I THINK THE THING YOU
GET MOST OF THE EXCITEMENT FROM
IN COMMUNITIES IS THAT
INNOVATION IS GOING TO HELP SPUR
NEW PARTS OF THE ECONOMY TO GROW
AND WE SEE THIS HAPPENING
NATIONALLY AS THAT INNOVATION
CAN DRIVE NEW SECTORS AND NEW
JOB CREATION AS MICHAEL OLIVER
MENTIONED THIS IS A LOT ABOUT
WORK FORCE.
ANOTHER BIG PIECE FOR THE
REGIONS, HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO
DRIVE JOB CREATION AND JOB
GROWTH.
OUR SENSE HAS BEEN FOR
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS RESEARCH
IS A KEY NEW WAY TO DRIVE IT
INTO AN ECONOMY.
FOR OUR REGION, ESPECIALLY IN
BATON ROUGE, A LOT OF THE
LEADERSHIP HAPPENING IS DRIVING
NEW TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
MORE INTO THE MARKETPLACE FOR
JOBS.
>> ANDREW.
>> I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT
THRIVING ECONOMIC METROPOLITAN
AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES,
ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE CENTERED
AROUND A TOP TIER RESEARCH
INSTITUTION.
YOU COULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT
THE RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS WERE
TOP TIER BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY
BUT I THINK IT'S THE OTHER WAY
AROUND.
THE ECONOMY IS WHAT IT IS IN
THOSE LOCATION BECAUSE OF THE
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS.
>> THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
GABRIELLE.
>> WITH THE BATON ROUGE BUSINESS
REPORT.
>> DID YOU JUST WRITE A STORY
ABOUT ALL THIS SUBJECT MATTER?
>> YES.
WE LOOKED AT -- WE EVALUATED
WHAT WE CALL OR WHAT IS CALLED
INNOVATION ECO-SYSTEM HERE IN
BATON ROUGE LOOKING AT ALL OF
THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WE
HAVE THAT ARE ALL WORKING
TOWARDS THIS ONE EFFORT AND HOW
STARTING TO COME TOGETHER BUT
WONG THING THAT WE HEARD FROM
ALL THESE DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS FROM BRACK AND LSU
AND FROM THE TECH PARK WAS THAT
WHAT'S MISSING IS GREATER
COORDINATION BETWEEN ALL OF
THEM.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN
COMING TOGETHER OVER TIME AND
WE'RE JUST STARTING TO SEE THE
RESULTS NOW.
>> WE ALSO HAVE HERE BYRON
CLAYTON, PRESIDENT OF THE
RESEARCH PARK CORPORATION.
WHAT IS A RESEARCH PARK AND HOW
DOES IT FIT INTO THIS?
>> WELL, I THINK I'LL PICK UP ON
GABRIELLE'S POINT.
WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE, WHAT I
NOTICED IS THERE ARE SO MANY
GREAT THINGS GOING ON IN
DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE HAVE UNIVERSITY, BRACK,
BRATH.
THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS
GOING ON.
WHAT'S NEEDED IS CONNECTING THE
DOTS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THRIVING
REGIONS YOU SEE INNOVATION
ECO-SYSTEM THAT'S CONNECTED.
SO FOR ENTREPRENEURS,
INNOVATORS, EVERY STEP OF THE
WAY THEY HAVE HELP AND SUPPORT
TO ACCELERATE THEIR SUCCESS.
I THINK THAT'S A WAY THAT WE CAN
DO THINGS BETTER HERE.
>> ANOTHER PART OF THAT WHOLE
ECO-SYSTEM IS THE LSU BUSINESS
AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER.
WE HAVE NICKI HERE.
YOU WORK THERE AS A STUDENT
INCUBATOR?
>> I'M A MEMBER OF THE STUDENT
INCUBATOR.
TO PICK UP ON WHAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, BYRON, IT'S
INTERESTING, AS AN INNOVATOR,
RESEARCHER MYSELF AT LSU'S GRAD
SCHOOL, VETERINARY SCHOOL, AND
AS A BUSINESS OWNER IN BATON
ROUGE I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A
SHORT SIX AND A HALF YEARS BUT
IN THAT TIME I HAVE SEEN A LOT
OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, BUT AGAIN
THERE ARE SOME ORGANIZATIONS
REPRESENTED HERE TODAY THAT I
HAVEN'T EVEN KNOWN ABOUT.
SO IT'S VERY, VERY INTERESTING
AND I THINK TO FIND A
SYNERGISTIC MEDIUM TO BRING
EVERYBODY TOGETHER WOULD REALLY
BENEFIT THE GREATER BATON ROUGE
AREA.
>> SO IT WOULD SEEM.
WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO
ARE COMING UP THROUGH THE SYSTEM
LOOKING AT THESE DIFFERENT
UNIVERSITIES, DIFFERENT
ECOSYSTEM, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE I FIT IN.
YOU'RE AT BATON ROUGE HIGH.
>> YES.
>> ON THE LEGISLATIVE YOUTH
ADVISORY COUNCIL.
>> YES.
>> HOW DO YOU VIEW THIS PICTURE
OF UNIVERSITIES WHETHER THEY ARE
DOING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT,
WHAT CONCERNS DO YOU HAVE ABOUT
UNIVERSITY FUNDING AS YOU'RE
GOING INTO THE UNIVERSITY WORLD
SHORTLY?
>> ACTUALLY RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT SURPRISINGLY HAS
ALREADY BEEN A MAJOR PART OF MY
LIFE.
MY DAD IS A PROFESSOR AT LSU AND
MY SIBLINGS HAVE BOTH GONE
THROUGH COLLEGE.
BOTH DID THINGS RELATING TO
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE THING I'M
LOOKING INTO AS WELL.
ONE THING THAT I'M CONSIDERING
-- THE SIGNING FACTOR FOR ME IN
TERMS OF COLLEGE IS FUNDING.
I THINK WITH THESE HIGHER
EDUCATION CUTS THAT HAVE BEEN
HAPPENING, IT KIND OF HAS A
RIPPLE EFFECT.
I KNOW AT LEAST IN MY DAD'S
POINT OF VIEW, A LOT OF TIMES
WHAT HAPPENS IS WITH HIGHER
EDUCATION CUTS A LOT OF THE
TALENTED FACULTY IS LEAVING.
THEY ARE SEEKING BETTER
OPPORTUNITIES IN OTHER
UNIVERSITIES WITH MORE FUNDING.
THE SAME GOES FOR GRADUATE
STUDENTS OR STUDENTS THAT ARE
LOOKING TO DO PH.Ds, MEDICAL
DEGREES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THEY TYPICALLY GO TO SCHOOLS
THAT ALLOCATE MORE FUNDING
TOWARDS THOSE PARTICULAR
COLLEGES.
SO WHEN WE'RE CUTTING THAT I
FEEL LIKE WE'RE KIND OF REDUCING
OUR CHANCES OF GETTING HIGHLY
TALENTED INDIVIDUALS.
>> WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT THE
CONCERNS ABOUT UNIVERSITY
FUNDING AFFECTING FACULTY BUT
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IT'S
SEEPING DOWN INTO STUDENT
DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE THEY GO TO
COLLEGE.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
HOW ARE YOU VIEWING THIS WHOLE
THING?
>> I'M GOING TO COLLEGE NEXT
YEAR, LSU BUT IT WAS A TOUGH
DECISION BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I
MADE THE GRADES, YOU'RE GOING
INTO COLLEGE, YOU WANT TO MAKE
SURE YOU'RE A VIABLE CANDIDATE
FOR COLLEGE.
IT'S DIFFICULT KNOWING THAT YOU
COULD GO TO OTHER UNIVERSITIES
AND GET BETTER OPPORTUNITIES IN
TERMS OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER
THINGS AS WELL.
>> ROBERT, YOU ALSO ARE HANDS
ON.
TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND
HOW THIS IS PLAYING OUT FOR YOUR
AREA.
>> I'M NEW TO LOUISIANA.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR
THE LSU INNOVATION AND
TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION
OFFICE.
I WORK WITH ANDY.
I BASICALLY AM INVOLVED IN
TRANSFERRING TECHNOLOGY AND
LICENSING IT TO INDUSTRY.
>> HOW DOES LSU LOOK TO YOU
COMPARED TO OTHER PLACES IN THE
COUNTRY YOU'VE SEEN?
>> WELL, I CAME FROM OHIO.
IN OHIO THEY HAVE -- A LOT OF
WHAT BYRON SAID THEY HAVE TRIED
MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO HAVE
THIS ECO-SYSTEM DEVELOP AND I
THINK LOUISIANA IS BUILDING ON
THAT NOW, STARTING TO BUILD ON
THAT IDEA.
YEAH, THAT'S HOW I SEE IT.
>> WE'RE GETTING THERE.
THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR
THIS PORTION OF OUR SHOW.
WHEN WE RETURN WE'LL BE JOINED
BY A PANEL OF EXPERTS TO FURTHER
EXPLORE INNOVATION MATTERS.
>>> WELCOME BACK TO "LOUISIANA
PUBLIC SQUARE."
TONIGHT WE'RE DISCUSSING
INNOVATION MATTERS.
JOINING US NOW ARE OUR PANEL OF
EXPERTS.
SINCE 2005, DR. RICHARD KORDAL
HAS BEEN DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE
OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND
COMMERCIALIZATION AT LOUISIANA
TECH IN RUSTON.
HE'S ALSO CO-FOUNDER OF A
STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION OF
LOUISIANA'S ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER DIRECTORS.
DURING HIS PRIOR EMPLOYMENT IN
INDUSTRY, HE TOOK NUMEROUS
PRODUCTS FRK R&D INTO THE
MARKET.
>>> QUENTIN MESSER IS ASSISTANT
SECRETARY FOR LOUISIANA ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
MR. MESSER MANAGES INITIATIVES
AND PROGRAMS RELATED TO BUSINESS
INTELLIGENCE, COMMUNITY
COMPETITIVENESS, SMALL BUSINESS
SERVICES, AND STATE ECONOMIC
COMPETITIVENESS.
HE IS THE STAFF LEADER FOR THE
LOUISIANA INNOVATION COUNCIL AND
A BOARD MEMBER OF THE RESEARCH
PARK CORPORATION.
>>> DR. RICHARD KOUBEK BEGAN HIS
TENURE AS DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING AT LSU IN 2009 AFTER
MORE THAN 23 YEARS IN ACADEMIA.
HE HAS WORKED ON THE ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENTS OF PENN STAT, PURDUE
AND WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITIES.
DR. COW BEEN HAS -- KOUBEK HAS
SERVED AS PRINCIPAL AND
CO-INVESTIGATOR ON NUMEROUS
RESEARCH GRANTS.
>> DR. DAVID WINWOOD IS CHIEF
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER AT
PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
CENTER.
HE'S PRESIDENT-ELECT FOR THE
ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY
TECHNOLOGY MANAGERS.
HE'S MANAGED INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT
BIRMINGHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
STATE, AND OHIO STATE
UNIVERSITY.
BEFORE WE GO TO OUR AUDIENCE FOR
THEIR QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO
ASK EACH OF YOU BRIEFLY FROM
YOUR PERSPECTIVE HOW IS R&D
CHANGING IN LOUISIANA AND HOW
CAN WE IMPROVE THAT?
I WANT TO START WITH YOU,
DR. KORDAL.
>> I WOULD SAY GETTING RESEARCH
GRANTS IS BECOMING MUCH MORE
COMPETITIVE.
IT'S GETTING HARDER AND FUNDING
AGENCIES TEND TO FUND NOT
UNIVERSITY BUT INDIVIDUALS.
THEY HAVE TO WRITE THE MOST
COMPELLING GRANT PROPOSALS.
I'M ALSO SEEING THAT THE
AGENCIES ARE REQUIRING THAT
THERE'S A TRANSITION PLAN.
THEY LIKE TO FUND TRANSITIONAL
RESEARCH AND THEY IN FACT MANY
OF THE CASE THESE ARE INCLUDING
A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY INCLUDE
A TRANSITION PLAN, HOW THEY WILL
TRANSITION THIS TECHNOLOGY OR
RESULTS OF RESEARCH INTO THE
PRIVATE SECTOR SO THERE'S A
PAYOFF OR PAYBACK FOR THE
RESEARCH BEING DONE -- THEY ARE
FUNDING.
FOR A COMPANY TO BE COMPETITIVE
THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO
INNOVATE.
INNOVATION COMES FROM BASIC
RESEARCH AND UP OF IT IS
OCCURRING AT THE UNIVERSITIES.
LIKE THE iPHONE, FOR INSTANCE,
THERE ARE SEVEN OR EIGHT
DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES
INCORPORATED INTO THAT FROM
LCD SCREEN TO THE LITHIUM ION
BATTERY TO THE GPS DEVICE, ALL
THOSE THINGS WERE NOT DEVELOPED
BY APPLE.
THEY WERE DEVELOPED AT THE
UNIVERSITY AS A NATIONAL LAB.
APPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND
INCORPORATED THAT INTO THEIR
PRODUCT BUT THEY ARE ALL THE
RESULT OF FUNDAMENTAL BASIC
RESEARCH.
SO WE STILL NEED TO STRIFE FOR
BASIC RESEARCH.
>> MR. MESSER, DEPARTMENT OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> I THINK THAT IT'S CHANGING
THIS PROGRAM.
PART AND PARCEL.
I'M NOT SURE WHETHER WE WILL BE
HAVING THIS CONVERSATION FIVE,
SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO.
NOT THAT GREAT ACTIVITY WASN'T
OCCURRING BUT THE MERE FACT THAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT PUBLICLY
INDICATES DESIRE TO MOVE THE
BALL FORWARD AND REALIZE WE HAVE
TO BE ON THE SAME TEAM.
SECONDLY, I THINK ONE OF THE
TALENTS, AUDIENCE MEMBERS
MENTIONED BEFORE WE'RE NOT JUST
TALKING ABOUT RESEARCH.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KNOWLEDGE
TRANSFER.
MICHAEL MENTIONED THE NOTION OF
WINNING THE GLOBAL COMPETITION
FOR TALENT.
WE'RE BEGINNING TO AGGRESSIVELY
TELL THE STORY, LOOK, THERE ARE
BRIGHT, CAPABLE RESEARCHERS
ACROSS THE BOARD AND GREAT
SCHOOLS AND GREAT YOUNG PEOPLE
HERE IN LOUISIANA.
THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THE FACT THAT IT'S GREAT
TO HAVE ADAM HERE, BUT WE HAVE
SEVEN OTHER REGIONAL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS
STATEWIDE THAT ARE REALLY
WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH
INDUSTRY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE
COORDINATED AND THINKING
INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT.
IN THE PAST WE KIND OF FELT LIKE
EVERYONE HAD THEIR HEAD DOWN.
NOW WE'RE BEING VERY INTENTIONAL
MAKING SURE WE WORK TOGETHER.
>> WE TALK ABOUT KNOWLEDGE JOBS.
>> EXACTLY.
>> DR. KOUBEK, EXCUSE ME.
>> FROM AN ENGINEERING
PERSPECTIVE THIS IS ONE OF THE
MOST EXCITING TIMES I HAVE SEEN
IN THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITIES HERE AND WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE HIRING GREAT FACULTY, EVEN
SOME STUDENTS IN THE AUDIENCE
TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
DOING INNOVATION AND TECH
TRANSFER.
SO YOU'RE SEEING IN THE DNA OF
PEOPLE COMING UP THROUGH IT YOU
NEED A PLACE TO DO THAT
RESEARCH.
IF YOU LOOK AT LSU'S COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING, $110 MILLION
ENGINEERING BUILDING SO FACULTY
WILL HAVE A PLACE TO DO THAT
RESEARCH.
A THIRD PART IS WHAT I CALL THE
PARTNERSHIPS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST
SATISFYING, EXCITE THINK THINGS
HAPPENING IN LOUISIANA FOR ME
RIGHT NOW.
THE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HIGHER
EDUCATION, WITH OUR INDUSTRY.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S A REAL
MOTIVATING FACTOR FOR OUR
FACULTY.
THE FOURTH PART IS PROPHECY.
MOVING FORWARD IS POINTED OUT IN
PARS, A GREAT THING WE NEED TO
FOCUS ATTENTION ON.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT PLUG TOO.
I AM A CO-AUTHOR OF THAT REPORT,
SO WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT.
DR. WINWOOD WITH PENNINGTON.
>> PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH WE FOCUS ON LIFE-STYLE
-- PROCESS OF HEALTHY LIVING,
DIABETES, NUTRITION, OBESITY,
ARE OUR MAIN AREAS OF EXPERTISE.
WHAT IT TURNS OUT IS THOSE
DISEASES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY
OUR CURRENT WAY OF LIFE,
PARTICULARLY IN THE WESTERN
WORLD, ARE CONNECTED.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE SEEING
IS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO DO
RESEARCH IN SILOS, THAT
COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP IS
A BIG PART.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT RICH
MENTIONED, THE iPHONE IS NOT
ONE INVENTION, IT'S THOUSANDS OF
INVENTIONING.
TO DO BASIC RESEARCH AT THE
MOLECULAR LEVEL AND THEN TO
TRANSLATE THAT INTO HOW DOES
THIS GUIDE IN DEVELOPING NEW
DRUGS AND TREATMENTS AND HOW DO
WE ANALYZE THOSE NEW TREATMENTS
AND FIGURE OUT WHAT EFFECT THEY
HAVE ON A COMMUNITY, IT'S A
MULTIDISCIPLINARY EFFORT.
WHAT WE SEE AT PENNINGTON IS
ACTIVITY CERTAINLY FROM
MOLECULAR LEVEL SCIENTISTS,
PEOPLE LOOKING AT THIS NEW DRUG
OR TREATMENT MIGHT WORK THROUGH
HOW IT HAS AN IMPACT ON A
POPULATION.
LOOKING AT THE DISEASES OF
MODERN SOCIETY, WHICH AS I SAID
ARE PRIMARILY THE ONES THAT ARE
VERY BYRDSOME FOR THIS STATE AT
THE MOMENT, DIABETES AND
OBESITY, REQUIRES A LOT OF
INPUT, SUSTAIN INVESTMENT IN
THAT RESEARCH AT THE BASIC LEVEL
BUT ALSO TO MOVE IT THROUGH TO A
CLINICAL LEVEL.
PENNINGTON HAS LOOKED AT ALMOST
EVERY OBESITY AND DIABETES DRUG
CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET.
SOME TESTING TOOK PLACE AT
PENNINGTON.
WE HAVE HAD AROUND 19,000 PEOPLE
PARTICIPATE IN CLINICAL TRIALS.
VERY EXTENSIVE COMPOSITION.
>> WE HOPE YOUR FABULOUSLY
SUCCESSFUL.
YOU WEAR ANOTHER HAT.
YOU'RE THE INCOMING PRESIDENT OF
THE ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY
TECHNOLOGY MANAGERS.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT
IS BUT THEY ACTUALLY PLAY A
REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE NATIONWIDE
IN THIS.
CAN YOU GIVE US HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT
WHAT THEY MEASURE AND WHAT THEY
DO?
>> WELL, THANKS FOR THAT PLUG.
IT'S ACTUALLY AN INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION.
THE ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY
TECHNOLOGY MANAGERS HAS 6200
MEMBERS AROUND THE WORLD.
AROUND ABOUT 75% OR 80% ARE IN
THE U.S.
WE DO HAVE VERY SIGNIFICANT
MEMBERSHIP ELSEWHERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN
THE ASSOCIATION IS TO ASK OUR
MEMBERS TO REPORT ON THEIR
ACTIVITIES.
THE KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE EASY
TO REPORT, HOW MANY LICENSES
HAVE WE SIGNED, HOW MANY PATENTS
HAVE WE CRAFTED, HOW MANY
START-UP COMPANIES HAVE BEEN
FORMED.
SOMEWHERE THIS THAT LIST IS
CERTAINLY A REFERENCE TO HOW
MANY DOLLARS WE HAVE COLLECTED
IN LICENSING REVENUES BUT REALLY
IT'S WAG IMPACT CAN WE HAVE.
THAT'S OUR MAJOR THEME.
I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO SAY
THAT WE WANT AS A PROFESSIONAL
SOCIETY TO BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT
IT IS WE DO THAT HELPS TAKE
BASIC RESEARCH DOLLARS AND THEN
TRANSLATE THEM INTO SOMETHING
USABLE AND USEFUL FOR PUBLIC
GOOD.
>> THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.
NOT JUST TO COUNT LICENSES, TO
BE ABLE TO SEE HOW CAN WE
MEASURE THE REAL IMPACT ON AN
ECONOMY.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LOUISIANA
ECONOMY.
DON IS CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN
LAFAYETTE.
I THINK YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR
QUESTION FOR ALL THESE
GENTLEMEN.
>> WELL, I'LL PREFACE WITH WE
JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED ROUGHLY
A SIX-YEAR MAJOR PROJECT WITH
APPLIED RESEARCH CENTER
UNIVERSITY OUTSIDE OF LOUISIANA.
THAT HAS COME TO A CLOSE RIGHT
NOW.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO LEARN MORE,
WHO ARE REALLY THE BEST
CONNECTORS SO TO SPEAK TO BE
ABLE TO BE CONNECTING THE
BUSINESSES WITH THE UNIVERSITIES
TO WORK ON SOME REAL FUNDED
PROJECTS.
>> IT'S A KEY QUESTION, MAKING
THOSE CONNECTIONS.
GENTLEMEN?
WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST?
>> OFTENTIMES IT STARTS WITH
CONNECTING WITH THE RESEARCHER,
ONE TO ONE INTERACTION, ONE
RESEARCHER TO ANOTHER.
A COMPANY MAY SEEK OUT A PERSON
FOR THEIR EXPERTISE OR KNOWLEDGE
IN A CERTAIN AREA AND CONNECT AT
SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES, MIGHT
READ ABOUT THAT PERSON'S
RESEARCH IN JOURNAL ARTICLES.
THAT'S GENERALLY HOW A LOT OF
THESE INTERACTIONS START IS
THROUGH INTERACTIONS WITH ONE
RESEARCHER TO ANOTHER.
>> THERE'S MANY ROADS TO RIDE.
FN TIMES PEOPLE TALK ABOUT A
FUNNEL.
I THINK IT'S A DIFFICULT NUT TO
SWALLOW IN HIGHER EDUCATION
BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE
AND SUCH A COMPLEX ORGANIZATION.
WHETHER YOU GO THROUGH THE
OFFICE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY,
THE DEAN'S OFFICE OR DEPARTMENT
CHAIR'S OFFICE, ALL OF US ARE
PRETTY WELL SET UP TO KNOW WHO
TO DIRECT YOU TO.
AS LONG AS YOU MAKE CONTACT WE
CAN GET YOU THROUGH THERE.
>> LSU AND U.L.
>> YOU EXPERIENCED THAT.
>> COULD HE COME TO YOUR
DEPARTMENT?
>> CERTAINLY.
PLUG FOR DON, A GUY WHO TAKES
TIME OUT OF HIS SCHEDULE.
HE SERVES ON OUR SMALL BUSINESS
ADVISORY COUNCIL.
ONE, YOU COULD COME TO LED, BUT
AGAIN, WE HAVE EIGHT ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS STATEWIDE.
WE HAVE ONE ACADIANA IN THE
LAFAYETTE AREA. THAT'S ANOTHER
PLACE.
I THINK IT SPEAKS TO SOMETHING
THAT I THINK OTHERS HAVE ALLUDED
TO.
HE'S RUNNING A BUSINESS.
HE'S GOT TO MAKE PAYROLL.
HE HAS TO MAKE DEADLINES.
IT'S VERY -- WE HAVE TO FIGURE
OUT, CONTINUE TO FIGURE OUT WAYS
TO SORT OF ADDRESS THAT
PARTICULAR NEED.
NOW THAT I KNOW ABOUT IT I CAN
SORT OF TAKE THAT OFF HIS PLATE
A LITTLE BIT AND TRY TO MAKE
CONTACTS FOR HIM.
IT'S THAT TYPE OF BEING ABLE TO
INTENTIONALLY HAVE CONVERSATIONS
THAT BUBBLE UP THAT TYPE OF
NEED.
ONE LAST PLUG I WILL SAY IS WE
WITHIN LED HAVE A GROUP CALLED
OUR BUSINESS EXPANSION RETENTION
GROUP.
THEY GO OUT AND TALK TO
COMPANIES MAYBE SLIGHTLY BIGGER
THAN DON'S COMPANY ABOUT SOME OF
THEIR RESEARCH NEEDS.
THAT IS A PART OF FEEDBACK THAT
WE'RE GETTING FROM COMPANIES
STATEWIDE THAT WE TRY TO THEN
SHARE WITH OUR HIGHER ED
PARTNERS.
>> YOU KNOW, DUANE, WE HAVE A
STUDENT HERE FROM --
[AUDIO NOT UNDERSTANDABLE]
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
YOURSELF.
I THINK THIS GENTLEMAN MAY BE
SOMEONE YOU ALL WANT TO RECRUIT.
[LAUGHTER]
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
>> I'M DUANE BELL.
I INTEND ARTS ACADEMY.
I HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS OF
BECOMING A POLITICIAN AND GOING
INTO PUBLIC SERVICE.
I WAS WONDERING WITH POLITICS
TODAY WHAT ROLE IS FURTHERING
INNOVATION PLAYING, POLITICS
PLAYING IN THAT AND WHAT CAN
SOME YOUNG, ASPIRING POLITICS
LIKE MYSELF DO TO CONTINUE THIS
WORK?
[SPEAKING SIMULTANEOUSLY]
>> DOES POLITICS GET IN THE WAY?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
>> YOU'VE BEEN AROUND.
>> YES.
ONE OF THE HATS I HAVE BEEN
WEARING FOR THE ASSOCIATION
ROBERT MENTIONED EARLIER IS
ADVOCACY PORTFOLIO.
WE ARE VERY ACTIVE IN MAKING
SURE THAT -- THIS IS USUALLY AT
THE WASHINGTON D.C. LEVEL RATHER
THAN LOCAL BUT IT DOES PLAY IN
BOTH AREAS, MAKING SURE THAT THE
INNOVATION ECO-SYSTEM IS SECURE.
SO WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN
MAINTAINING SECURE AND STABLE
FUNDING FOR BASIC RESEARCH
BECAUSE THAT IS A FEED CORN.
OTHERWISE WE DON'T HAVE
TECHNOLOGY TO TRANSFER.
ALSO THE PATENT SYSTEM IS
MAINTAINED INTACT AND ROBUST.
THERE'S SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES
TO THAT RIGHT NOW GOING ON IN
CONGRESS.
ALL OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION
ASSOCIATIONS WORKING DILIGENTLY
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO
MAKE SURE THE PATENT SYSTEM
REMAINS AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE
TO SMALL COMPANIES, SMALL
INVENTOR GROUPS TO UNIVERSITIES
AND IS NOT EXCLUSIVELY THE
DOMAIN OF WELL FUNDED, WEALTHY
CORPORATIONS.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT'S
INTENDED.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THERE FOR
EVERYONE.
>> MIKE?
>> I HAVE SEGUE INTO THAT:
PROBABLY ADDRESSED TO DR. KORDAL
AND DR. KOUBEK.
ONE OF OF THE SIGNIFICANT
CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS
THAT'S BEEN MADE AT OUR
UNIVERSITY TO BE A CATALYST IN
THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE
RESEARCH.
>> WE HAVE TRIED TO INSTITUTE
NUMEROUS PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THE
NUMEROUS PATHWAYS TO
COMMERCIALIZATION.
WE DO THE TRADITION AT AL
TECHNOLOGY OUT-LICENSING, MOVE
DISCOVERIES FROM THE LAB TO THE
REAL WORLD.
WE ALSO DEVELOP PROGRAMS TO HELP
ENTREPRENEURS.
START NEW VENTURES, TO PROVIDE
EDUCATIONAL COURSES AND THINGS
THEY CAN TAKE TO BECOME BETTER
BUSINESS LEADERS.
A LOT OF THE STUFF HAD 'EM PI
TUS FROM AN EARLY STATE GRAND WE
RECEIVED IN 2002.
THIS HELPED US CREATE A CENTER
FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
THAT WAS THE CAT LUES FOR A LOT
OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LOT OF
OUR PROGRAMS.
OUT OF THAT WE GREW A PROOF OF
CONCEPT CENTER.
OFTENTIMES FOR A COMPANY TO
ADOPT NEW TECHNOLOGY THEY REALLY
-- IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO
TAKE ON A NEW TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE
IT'S KIND OF SOME RISK INVOLVED.
WE DEVELOP A PROOF OF CONCEPT
CENTER.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE WERE
ANGLING TO LEVERAGE FROM OUR
INITIAL CENTER GRANT.
WE WON A SECOND GRANT FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT
THIS PROOF OF CONCEPT CENTER.
THIS ALLOWS COMPANIES TO DO
FIELD TRIAL TESTING OF OUR
TECHNOLOGY.
SO THEY ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY
TEST THIS IN THE FIELD TO SEE IF
IT MEET CERTAIN MARKET
SPECIFICATIONS, REGULATORY
REQUIREMENTS, AND ACTUALLY HELPS
REDUCE THE RISK FOR THEM AND
ACTUALLY INCREASES THE VALUE OF
THE TECHNOLOGY TO THEM.
A LOT OF THAT STIMULATED FROM
PUBLIC INVESTMENT.
IT WAS SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF
ITS IMPACT.
IT WASN'T THAT SIGNIFICANT IN
TERMS OF AMOUNT.
>> I SHOULD MENTION IN THE
PARROTER LOUISIANA TECH WAS
REALLY MAKING THE MOST OUT OF
THE MONEY IT HAD LEVERAGING ITS
MONEY AND SUPPORT FOR THE BEST
R&D RESULTS IN THE STATE.
YOU ALL REALLY STOOD OUT IN THE
REPORT.
I'M GOING TO GO TO NICKI, BYRON,
DENTON RIGHT AFTER THAT.
>> I'M GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE OF
STEPS BACK.
BEFORE YOU HAVE TECHNOLOGY YOU
HAVE TO HAVE THE IDEA.
SO THERE'S AN OLD CHINESE
PROVERB THAT SAYS THE PERSON WHO
SAYS SOMETHING IMPOSSIBLE SHOULD
NOT INTERRUPT THE PERSON WHO IS
DOING IT.
NOW, I FIND THAT ACADEMIA
USUALLY DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
WITH PEOPLE IN THE RANKS THAT
ARE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING NEW,
SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR SOMETHING
THAT'S NOT TO -- THOUGHT TO BE
IMPOSSIBLE.
WHAT ARE YOU IN ACADEMIA
PERSONALLY DOING EITHER AT LSU
OR ACROSS LOUISIANA, TO CHANGE
THIS, TO PROMOTE INNOVATION
AMONG YOUR COLLEAGUES, YOUR
FACULTY AND YOUR STUDENTS?
>> I'M GOING TO LET YOU TAKE
THAT ONE.
>> I CAN ANSWER MIKE'S QUESTION.
>> OKAY, GOOD.
>> SO TO EAN YOURS -- ANSWER
YOUR QUESTION, MIKE, AT THE ENDS
OF THE DAY IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE.
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT ECO-SYSTEM,
LIKE A SOLAR SYSTEM.
ALL OF THIS SUPPORT MECHANISM
CENTERS AROUND SOMETHING.
YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
IT'S THE IDEA, CREATIVITY,
WHAT'S GENERATING ALL THE OTHER
NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.
FOR EXAMPLE AT LSU WE'RE IN THE
MIDDLE OF HIRING A NUMBER OF
FACULTY FOR THE COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING.
WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF GROWTH WITH
REGARD TO NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
MIKE TALKED ABOUT WORK FORCE.
WE HAVE TO HIRE FACULTY.
I PERSONALLY MET WITH ALL THE
PEOPLE WHO INTERVIEWED, PROBABLY
50 PEOPLE I MET WITH.
EVERY ONE THAT WHAT WAS A
QUESTION.
TELL ME WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT
TECH TRANSFER.
WHAT'S INTERESTING TO ME, THEY
ARE ALREADY THERE.
THE FACULTY COMING INTO THE
RANKS ARE ALREADY THERE.
NOW THE MATTER IS WE JUST
PROVIDE THE RIGHT SUPPORT AND
YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE THINGS
WE'RE DOING.
LSU LIFT GRANTS, WE HIRED AN
OUTSTANDING PERSON, ANDY MOSS IS
IN OUR AUDIENCE TODAY.
THAT'S PART ONE.
THE OTHER IS PROVIDING THAT
SYSTEM TO SUPPORT THEM.
YOU'RE SEEING THAT HAPPENING NOW
IN LOUISIANA IN REAL TIME.
>> THERE ARE TWO THINGS.
I THINK DUANE'S QUESTION IS A
VERY IMPORTANT ONE.
IT TAKES SUSTAINED INVESTMENT IN
GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES IN
ORDER TO ANIMATE AND MAKE SURE
YOU'VE GOT THE SEED BED TO DO
THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT HERE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE
UNDERSTAND THESE ARE TOUGH
BUDGET SITUATIONS.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IT'S MAKING
TOUGH DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT
NECESSARILY IN FOUR EIGHT-YEAR
WINDOWS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGE THAT
HAPPENS OVER 10 TO 12 YEAR
PERIOD.
THAT'S ONE THING.
RICH IS TOO HUMBLE TO SAY IT.
ONE OF THE EXCITING THINGS THAT
HAS HAPPENED --
>> WE HAVE TO RICHES HERE.
>> MY FRIEND FROM TECH.
TOO HUMBLE TO SAY IT BUT HE'S
BEEN PART OF A LEADERSHIP OF
MAKING SURE THAT THE TECH
TRANSFER OFFICERS ACROSS THE
STATE ARE NOW MEETING ON A
QUARTERLY BUSY.
THAT TYPE OF KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
INTERNALLY WITHIN THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA IS CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT.
ALSO PART OF WHAT RICH TALKED
ABOUT, AND THE DEAN HERE
MENTIONED IT, IT HAPPENS WHAT
THEY HAVE CREATED A CHIEF
INNOVATION OFFICE AT TECH.
WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO BE VERY
INTENTIONAL ABOUT BRINGING
TOGETHER ENTREPRENEURSHIP,
CREATIVITY, TECH TRANSFER, BASIC
RESEARCH AND REALLY GIVES US A
THEME FOCUS AT AN EXECUTIVE
LEVEL.
I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT REP LAY
INDICATED PROBABLY IN OTHER
CAMPUSES.
THAT HAS ACCRUED GREAT BENEFITS.
>> BYRON?
>> SO PLAYING OFF OF QUENTIN'S
ANSWER, ONE OF THE THINGS THE
PARROTER TALKED ABOUT WAS BEING
STRATEGIC ABOUT APPLYING
RESOURCES TO NICHES THAT WE ARE
GOOD AT HERE NOW.
THEN BY APPLYING THOSE RESOURCES
AND FOCUSING THOSE RESOURCES
BECOMING WORLD CLASS AT THOSE
SPECIFIC THINGS.
SO MY QUESTION TO THE PANEL IS
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT
PERSPECTIVE, AND IF SO, WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU
THINK AS A STATE, A REGIN, AND
INSTITUTION THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS
ON THAT EITHER WE ARE ALREADY
WORLD CLASS IN AND NEED TO
STRETCH OUR COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE OR THAT WE NEED TO
BECOME WORLD CLASS IN.
>> MR. MESSER, GIVE US THE ICING
ON THAT ONE.
>> LET ME LAY THE FOUNDATION.
ONE THING THAT HAPPENED NUMBER
OF YEARS AGO, MANY OF YOU WERE
PART OF IT, LED REALLY WORKED TO
LOOK AT THE EMERGING GROWTH
SECTOR.
THE THOUGHT WAS HOW DO YOU
IDENTIFY SECTORS OF THE
KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY WHERE YOU CAN
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOUISIANA'S
STRENGTH.
WE IDENTIFIED SIX OF THEM.
SOFTWARE AND DIGITAL MEDIA,
SPECIALLY HEALTH CARE, ADVANCED
MANUFACTURING, WATER MANAGEMENT,
AEROSPACE AND SPECIALIZED
MANUFACTURING AS WELL AS CLEAN
TECHNOLOGY AND ENERGY.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT
FOCUSED ON AGO BRING BUSINESS OR
OTHER THINGS.
WE WERE TRYING TO THINK WHAT ARE
THE SECTORS IN WHICH THE JOBS OF
TOMORROW ARE GOING TO BE.
THEY PLAY TO LOUISIANA'S
TRADITIONAL STRENGTHS OR
CORRELATIVE STRENGTHS.
NOW AT LED WE BEGAN TO CONVEY TO
OUR PARTNERS AT HIGH ED.
WE HAVE THE LOUISIANA INNOVATION
COUNCIL.
WE HAVE CREATED A STUDY THAT HAS
BEEN SHARED PUBLICLY.
NOW THE BOARD OF REGENTS HAS
ALSO FORMULATED ITSELF AND
ORGANIZED AROUND A SIMILAR SET
OF EMERGING GROWTH SECTORS AS
WELL AS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.
I THINK WE ARE PRETTY WELL
ALIGNED TO MOVE FORWARD ON
NICHES THAT LOUISIANA CAN BE
GREAT AT.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD WHEN
YOU TALK ABOUT IN THE PARROTER
IT TALKS ABOUT PICKING DIFFERENT
AREAS OF EXCELLENCE ACROSS
DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES.
GIVEN THE SIZE OF LOUISIANA WE
HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER ON THOSE
FOCUS AREAS.
ALL THE ENGINEERING NEEDS ARE
INVOLVED IN THAT.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE BIG PROPOSALS
THAT COME OUT OF LOUISIANA FOR
THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION,
FOR EXAMPLE, IT INCLUDES ALMOST
ALL OUR UNIVERSITIES.
IT REALLY HAS TO BE A COHESIVE
NETWORK TO HAVE THAT IMANGT.
>> THAT'S QUITE A CHALLENGE NOT
ONLY TO YOU BUT TO THE REGENTS
AS WELL.
AND TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT.
>> TO THE REGENTS' CREDIT THEY
ARE CREATING -- IN FANGT THEY
ARE GOING -- THEY HAVE A --
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER LIAISON THAT
THEY ARE GOING TO INTENTIONALLY
BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF PATEL,
THE INNOVATION COUNCIL, MICHAEL
WAS A BIG PART OF THAT, THEY
WILL CREATE A FULL-TIME ROLE TO
HELP THE VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES
COME TOGETHER IN A VERY
INTENTIONAL WAY.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT FUNDING.
THERE'S $23 MILLION AT LEAST
EVERY YEAR THAT COMES THROUGH
WHAT WE CALL THE SUPPORT FUND.
IT'S DEDICATED FROM SOME MINERAL
REVENUE WE HAVE HAD CHURNING OUT
EVERY YEAR.
WE RAN INTO CONCERNS MAYBE THAT
WAS BEING SPREAD TOO THIN, THAT
WE COULD LEVERAGE MORE THAT
MONEY IN THE SUPPORT FUND.
THAT'S REALLY UP TO THE REGENTS
TO HELP DECIDE THAT.
GENTLEMEN, AGREE, DISAGREE?
>> THIS IS MAYBE CLOSER TO YOU,
RICH.
>> YOU'RE GETTING UNCOMFORTABLE.
NOW WE KNOW WE GOT A GOOD
QUESTION.
>> THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT
TALENT AND PERSONNEL.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT
THING TO FACTOR IN ALSO.
WE HEAR ABOUT CEREAL
ENTREPRENEURS AND SERIAL
INVENTORS.
LOTS OF ANECDOTES.
THOMAS EDISON TYPES THAT CREATE
A LOT OF THE -- OVERABUNDANCE OF
INVENTIONS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE LOOKED AT FIVE MAJOR
INSTITUTIONS, STANFORD, MIT,
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, MADISON
, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
AND -- CAN'T THINK OF THE FIFTH
ONE.
WE LOOKED AT THE INVENTIONS THEY
CREATED OVER THE LAST 23 YEARS.
WHAT WE FOUND IS OVER 50% OF
THEM ARE CREATED BY 10% OF THEIR
FACULTY.
SO IT'S NOT THAT THE OTHER 90%
ARE UNDER-PERFORMING THEY ARE
JUST DOING IT AT A NORMAL LEVEL.
IT'S THAT 10 TO 15% ARE DOING IT
AT AN OUT-PACED LEVEL.
THERE'S COMPETITION.
ALL THE STATES ARE TRYING TO
RECRUIT THESE PEOPLE AWAY.
WE'RE ALL IN THE COMPETITION.
DURING TOUGH TIMES WE MAY LOSE
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE.
IT TAKE A LONG TIME TO TRY TO
RECOVER FROM THAT.
>> WE MAY NOT RECRUIT OR THEY
MAY NOT FEEL CONFIDENT THAT
LOUISIANA IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO
COME.
I WANT TO ASK ANDY A QUESTION.
YOU ALSO ARE WITH BEGKNOW
MANUFACTURING.
WHAT'S YOUR ROLE?
>> I'M THE CAO.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO PITCH A
QUESTION AT YOU AND THE REST OF
THE PANEL, WHICH IS BASICALLY,
WHY AREN'T MORE BUSINESSES DOING
MORE R&D?
WHAT IS IT ABOUT BUSINESSES,
WHAT'S THEIR ROLE IN ALL OF
THIS?
HAVE YOU TRY TO ANSWER THAT WITH
OTHER BUSINESS PEOPLE YOU KNOW
AND REFLECT THAT BACK ON THE
PANEL.
>> FOR BUSINESS OUR SIZE IT'S
REALLY RESOURCES.
DO YOU HAVE THE MANPOWER?
DO YOU HAVE THE CORRECT
MANPOWER?
THEN THE DOLLARS.
THE EQUIPMENT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT,
WHERE DO YOU GO GET IT?
IT REALLY JUST COMES DOWN TO THE
RESOURCES AND ALSO THE TIME.
DOES IT REALLY FIT THE NEED OF
THE COMPANY.
SO AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LOVE TO
BE DOING THAT TYPE OF R&D IT'S A
STEP AT A TIME, SOMETHING WE
CAN'T HANDLE BY OURSELVES AT THE
MOMENT.
EVENTUALLY WE WILL GET THERE.
WE DO WORK WITH OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DON SAID, WE
DID DO A HUGE PROJECT, SIX-YEAR
PROJECT WITH ANOTHER UNIVERSITY
OUTSIDE LOUISIANA THAT THEY CAME
TO US BECAUSE WE HAD A SPECIFIC
PIECE OF EQUIPMENT AND KNOWLEDGE
ON HOW TO USE THAT PIECE OF
EQUIPMENT, LASER WELDING.
THAT'S WHY THEY CAME TO US.
NOT MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE THIS
TECHNOLOGY USE IT FOR WHAT WE
DO, WHICH IS JOB SHOP
MANUFACTURING.
THEY BUY IT FOR THEIR OWN
PRODUCT.
THEY DON'T JOB IT OUT TO ANYBODY
ELSE.
THAT PUT US IN A UNIQUE POSITION
TO GET THAT JOB.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF LARGE
COMPANIES WHO ARE A PRESENCE IN
LOUISIANA.
DO YOU GENTLEMEN SEE THEIR ROLE
AS MAYBE NOT DOING ENOUGH
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
COMPARED TO OTHER STATES WHERE
BIG COMPANIES HAVE A BIG
PRESENCE?
>> THEY ARE SO CONCERNED WITH
THE SHORT TERM AND ACTUALLY
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, I DON'T
THINK THEY CAN DO THE BASIC
RESEARCH.
I THINK THERE'S MORE OF A
GREATER RELIANCE ON THE BASIC
FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH.
>> I THINK ALSO MANY LARGE
CORPORATIONS, MULTI-NATIONAL
PRESENCE IN THE STATE DON'T HAVE
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
OPERATIONS HERE, THEY ARE
MANUFACTURING THEIR
DISTRIBUTION, THAT'S NOT WHERE
THAT HAPPENS.
THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR US I
THINK TO ATTRACT THEM BEYOND
WHAT THEY DO HERE.
SO YOUR POINT WAS GREAT.
I HAVE EXPERIENCE IN ANOTHER
STATE OF WORKING STATEWIDE TO
CREATE AN ASSET MAP.
WHAT DO ALL UNIVERSITIES HAVE?
MAYBE IF YOU LOOK ON THIS AS A
PYRAMID, MAYBE THE TOP IS
PATENTS, THINGS YOU CAN LICENSE.
AS THAT BROADENS OUT IT WOULD
INCLUDE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE KIND OF EQUIPMENT YOU AREN'T
GOING TO BUY BECAUSE YOU'LL ONLY
USE IT ONCE.
HOW CAN WE MAKE THAT AVAILABLE
TO YOU ON A ROUTINE AND EASY
BASIS.
>> THIS INTERACTION WITH
BUSINESS WE NEED TO KEEP
FOLLOWING UP ON IT.
>> JUST REAL QUICK ACTUALLY WE
PREFER THEM TO DO RESEARCH WITH
US.
IT'S GOOD FOR US.
WE HAD 39 COMPANIES DOUGH
RESEARCH WITH THE COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING LAST YEAR.
THE TRICK FOR US IS TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO BE SYMBIOTIC.
NOW IT'S MOVING TO ACADEMIA AND
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
LOUISIANA.
IF WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT THAT
CAN JUMP US AHEAD WITH REGARD TO
THE INNOVATION.
>> I HAVE TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE
THE R&D YET.
I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO BACK
TO THE OFFICE AND PUT THAT IN
THERE YET.
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
THAT'S A GREAT PART OF WHAT ADAM
AND OTHER OF OUR ALLIES,
MICHAEL, GINO, NEW YORK
LOUISIANA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP
AND ELSEWHERE, BUT ANOTHER THING
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY IS I
THINK THAT WAS IN THE PREVIEW
WITH ULO, LOUISIANA UNIVERSITIES
DO VERY WELL IN THE PERCENTAGE
OF INDUSTRY RESEARCH BUT AS
EVERYONE NOTED A LOT OF
COMPANIES ARE SCALING BACK.
WE ARE CAPTURING, WE ARE
OUTPERFORMING OTHER THINGS AND
CAPTURING THAT RESEARCH.
>> ADAM, ON BEHALF OF
BUSINESSES.
>> I WANTED TO SAY, THE QUESTION
IS PROBABLY THE ONE I HAVE BEEN
MOST INTERESTED IN FOR A LONG
TIME.
IN THE WORLD OF RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT IT FALLS INTO THREE
CATEGORIES.
AM DOMEIC RESEARCH, FEDERAL
RESEARCH, PRIVATE SECTOR
RESEARCH.
LOUISIANA HAS LAGGED AND
ACTUALLY GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT
WORSE OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS AT
THE SHARE OF PRIVATE SECTOR
RESEARCH THAT USED TO HAPPEN
HERE.
THE STATE PUT IN PLACE ABOUT A
DECADE AGO A RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT TAX INCENTIVE TO TRY
TO MOTIVATE MORE PRIVATE SECTOR
WORK TO HAPPEN HERE.
THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WANT
TO KNOW ABOUT THIS, IT'S ONE OF
THE MOST AGGRESSIVE IN THE
COUNTRY AT TRYING TO MOTIVATE
PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES TO DO
RESEARCH.
IT'S ACTUALLY THE MOST
BENEFICIAL FOR SMALLER AND
MEDIUM SIZE FIRMS TO ENGAGE IN
THAT.
THEY CAN PARTNER WITH UNIVERSITY
OR DO IT IN-HOUSE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPANIES IN
THE BATON ROUGE AREA AS WELL AS
STATEWIDE THAT RELY ON THIS.
ONE THING THE UNIVERSITIES HAVE
DONE INCREDIBLY WELL IS TO TRY
TO CONNECT COMPANIES TO THOSE
BENEFITS BUT ALSO TO CONNECT
THEM WITH RESEARCHERS THAT CAN
ADVANCE THEIR TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S HAPPENING MORE AND MORE.
>> THAT'S THE RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDIT.
>> IT HAS BEEN -- IT IS GOING TO
BE UNDER CONSTANT SCRUTINY LIKE
ALL TAX CREDITS ARE.
WHAT'S OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT?
>> WE SEE IN THE BATON ROUGE
AREA A LOT OF EARLY STAGE
COMPANIES ININCUBATORS OR
PRIVATE FIRMS USING IT AS A WAY
TO LOAF RAGE THEIR OWN INTERNAL
RESEARCH OR START ENTIRELY NEW
VENTURES TO ADVANCE RESEARCH TO
HELP THEM.
DURING THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION
WE HAVE HEARD MORE COMPANIES
COMING OUT USING IT, RELYING ON
IT TO DEVELOP NEW INNOVATIONS,
NEW PRODUCTS FOR THEIR
COMPANIES.
THAT'S GOING TO LEAD TO LONG
TERM JOB CREATION.
WE HAVE ONE IN BATON ROUGE
THAT'S GROWN TO OVER 50 JOBS.
THERE WERE TEN EMPLOYEES TWO
YEARS AGO.
>> THIS IS VERY SIGNIFICANT.
ANDY?
>> I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT
THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE WHOLE
PICTURE HERE.
THAT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT RUNS
FOR FIVE YEARS, WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT TECHNOLOGY BASED ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, FIVE YEARS, TEN
YEARS, 15, 20, 30 YEARS,
SOMETIMES THERE ISN'T ENOUGH
TIME HORIZON SO THIS CONTINUED
INVESTMENT THAT QUENTIN REFERRED
TO NEEDS TO BE CONSISTENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT I WOULD HOPE
THAT WE CAN DO AROUND THE
UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE, THAT
IS LICENSE TECHNOLOGIES TO THE
BIG COMPANIES.
THAT'S GREAT.
THAT'S ALWAYS GOING TO HAPPEN.
BUT IF WE CAN HELP LICENSE
TECHNOLOGY TO SMALL COMPANIES SO
THEY HAVE A STRONG FOOT HOLD IN
THE LOCATION SO AS THEY BUILD
THEY ARE HIRING OUR GRADUATES,
THEY ARE EMPLOYING HIGH-PAYING,
HIGH-TECH KNOWLEDGE JOBS AND
OVER THE 10, 15, 20-YEAR TIME
HORIZON THAT'S GOING TO RETURN
ON INVESTMENT THAT IS HARD TO
QUANTIFY.
>> DOCTOR?
>> I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.
YOU KNOW, RICH KNOWS THIS, VERY
STEADY NUMBER IN THE ASSOCIATION
OF UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY
MANAGERS STATISTICS SAYS IF YOU
GET A START-UP COMPANY CREATED
OUT OF A UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY
IT STAYS WHERE IT IS.
IF IT'S INVENTED IN BATON ROUGE
OR IN RUSTON THEN ABOUT
THREE-QUARTERS OF THOSE
COMPANIES ARE VERY STICKY.
THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
THEY WANT TO BE CLOSE TO THE
INVESTIGATORS.
>> HAVING HELPED BUILD A
START-UP, I WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN
MY START-UP ANYWHERE ELSE
BECAUSE I HAD THE CONNECTIONS IN
THAT LOCATION.
>> WE CAN'T WAIT FOR DUANE AND
OUR AUDIENCE TO BECOME GOVERNOR
AND FOR ALL THIS TO HAPPEN.
>> I'LL BE A JUNIOR NEXT YEAR.
>> HERE'S YOUR CHANCE.
>> I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT
TYPE OF CONSEQUENCES MIGHT
APPEAR ON RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT IF THOSE PROGRAMS
ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY FUNDED LIKE
WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY IN THE
STATE.
>> LET ME ASK MR. MESSER.
>> LET ME TAKE -- I THINK YOU
HAVE TO TRY TO FIND THE POSITIVE
IN THINGS.
LET ME POSITION IT THIS WAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S
HAPPENED RECENTLY IS WE HAVE
GOTTEN TO BE VERY CREATIVE.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS IS
THERE WERE A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS
BETWEEN HIGHER EDUCATION AND
COMPANIES.
LED HAS BEEN A PART OF THAT.
LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT AND
BRAG ON THE LSU PARTNERSHIP WITH
I.B.M.
>> YOU CAN TALK ABOUT 15 MORE
SECONDS.
>> THAT PARTNERSHIP IS
CONSIDERED A AMONG -- THIS IS
NOT US.
THIS IS IMB, MOANING THE BEST.
THE CONSEQUENCE IS GOING TO BE
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MUCH MORRIE
AN UHLATION, HIGHER ED,
INDUSTRY, AND REGIONAL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS TO TRY TO
ADDRESS THAT.
>> WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
WANT TO GO DOWN THE LINE.
LAST THOUGHTS YOU WANT TO LEAVE
WITH OUR AUDIENCE.
JUST REALLY QUICK CAPSLATION.
STARTING WITH DR. KORDAL.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT THESE FACULTY
SPINOUT COMPANIES AND HOW GOOD
THEY ARE.
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THEM ALSO IS
THAT THEY SEEM TO SURVIVE
LONGER, ATTRACT MORE INVESTMENT
CAPITAL AND ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO
ENCOURAGE.
>> MR. MESSER.
>> I THINK THAT WE HAVE OUR
CHALLENGES BUT WE HAVE TO MORE
AGGRESSIVELY TELL THE POSITIVE.
I THINK WE OWN OUR NARRATIVE.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
I THINK THIS SHOW IS THE
BEGINNING OF THAT.
>> DR. KOUBEK.
>> BECAUSE OF THE COLLABORATION
AND HARD EFFORT OF EVERYONE IN
THIS ROOM IT'S AN EXCITING TIME
FOR US.
>> YOU'RE DOING SOME
EXTRAORDINARY WORK AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING AT LSU
EXPANDING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS.
HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE ARE YOU
LOOKING TO HIRE?
>> 50.
>> 50 MORE.
DR. WINWOOD?
>> THIS IS A CONTINUUM THAT
REQUIRES CONSTANT PRIMING OF THE
PUMP, BASIC RESEARCH TO RUN
THROUGH FOR RICH AN MYSELF TO
FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE OUT
INTO PRIVATE SECTOR.
IT'S A CONTINUUM AND YOU HAVE TO
KEEP THAT GOING.
IT'S A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT.
IT NEEDS TO BE STABLE IN GOOD
TIMES AND BAD.
>> DO YOU SEE LOUISIANA'S
NUMBERS EVENTUALLY GETTING
BETTER IN TERMS OF THESE
MEASURES ON A NATIONWIDE BASIS?
>> I HOPE SO.
I THINK THE NEEDLE HAS STARTED
TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT IN THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS.
I THINK WE'RE ON TO A TRACK,
SOMETHING THAT'S POSITIVE.
>> VOTE FOR DUANE.
[LAUGHTER]
>>> WELL, WE HAVE RUN OUT OF
TIME FOR OUR QUESTION AND ANSWER
SEGMENT SMGHT WE WOULD LIKE TO
THANK OUR PANELISTS, DR. KORDAL,
MR. MESSER, AND DOCTORS KOUBEK
AND WINWOOD FOR THEIR INSIGHT ON
THIS MONTH'S TOPIC.
WHEN WE COME BACK WE'LL HAVE A
FEW CLOSING COMMENTS.
>>> WELL, ROBERT, I THOUGHT THE
CONVERSATION WAS VERY
INTERESTING AND WHEN I SEE THE
PH.D ISER TAKES TOPICS MANY
TIMES I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT
THEY ARE ABOUT.
SO I THINK ONE. INTERESTING
THINGS TONIGHT IS I UNDERSTOOD
VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING EVERYONE
WAS DISCUSSING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER.
>> VERY HIGH LEVEL BUT VERY
UNDERSTANDABLE.
GREAT JOB.
>> I THINK COMMUNICATING WITH
EVERYONE IN THE STATE WHAT'S
GOING ON IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF
THE STATE IS AWFULLY IMPORTANT.
>> I FEEL A LITTLE MORE
OPTIMISTIC THAN BEFORE THE SHOW
STARTED.
>> THAT'S GOOD.
THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR
THIS EDITION OF "LOUISIANA
PUBLIC SQUARE."
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT WWW.LPB.ORG/PUBLIC
SQUARE.
WHILE THERE TAKE THIS MONTH'S
SURVEY, VIEW ADDITIONAL SOUND
BITES AND COMMENT ON TONIGHT'S
SHOW.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
>>> TWO RECENT DEATHS OF PLAQUE
MALES AT THE HANDS OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT HAVE SPARKED
NATIONAL PROTESTS.
IN JANUARY FOLLOWING SIMILAR
INCIDENTS IN FERGUSON, MISSOURI,
AND STATEN ISLAND, "LOUISIANA
PUBLIC SQUARE" EXPLORED WHO IS
POLICING THE POLICE.
JOIN US NEXT MONTH FOR AN ENCORE
PRESENTATION OF THE STILL-TIMELY
LOUISIANA AFTER FERGUSON.
THANKS FOR WATCHING TONIGHT.
GOODNIGHT.
>> GOODNIGHT, EVERYONE.
>>> FOR A COPY OF THIS PROGRAM,
CALL 1-800-973-7246 OR GO ONLINE
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