AUTM on the Air Podcast Por AUTM arte de portada

AUTM on the Air

AUTM on the Air

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AUTM on the AIR is the weekly podcast that brings you conversations about the impact of research commercialization and the people who make it happen. Join us for interviews with patent and licensing professionals, innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech transfer leaders on the issues and trends that matter most.

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Episodios
  • Meet AUTM’s New Board Members: Katie Butcher, Felicia Metz, and Maithili Shroff (Part 1)

    Meet AUTM’s New Board Members: Katie Butcher, Felicia Metz, and Maithili Shroff (Part 1)
    Jan 21 2026
    Over the next two weeks, we’re doing something a little different, with a special two-part conversation featuring five extraordinary women who will be joining the AUTM Board of Directors in February 2026. To give us the space to really dig in, we split these conversations across two episodes, so we could spend more time on the perspectives, experiences, and leadership each of these new board members brings to the tech transfer community.In this episode, we’re joined by Felicia Metz from the University of Maryland Ventures, Maithili Shroff from the University of New Hampshire, and Katie Butcher from Northwestern University. Next week, the conversation continues with Patricia Stepp of Rice University and Laura Schoppe, founder of TechPipeline, bringing in additional viewpoints from both inside and outside the university setting.Katie Butcher brings an MBA from Notre Dame and a Master of Science in Law from Northwestern into her role, giving her a strong mix of business and legal experience that shapes how licensing and commercialization work at Northwestern. Felicia Metz is an Associate Director at University of Maryland Ventures, where her work spans patent prosecution, building and managing IP portfolios, and licensing strategy. Maithili Shroff is a Licensing Manager at the University of New Hampshire, an R1 institution, where she draws on her PhD training to support innovation and intellectual property commercialization, with a perspective shaped by working across a wide range of research areas. Together, these three leaders reflect the breadth of backgrounds, expertise, and lived experience shaping the future of tech transfer, and they offer a thoughtful look at why this moment matters for the profession and for AUTM’s leadership going forward.In This Episode:[00] This is a special two-part series introducing five women who will join the AUTM Board of Directors in February 2026.[03:26] Katie shares her path to tech transfer. She has an MBA and has worked in the legal field. She spent her first 20 years in the entertainment industry. [04:33] Her background was strong, but she also had a lot of learning on the job in science, technology, and learning. It's been an exciting adventure being in this field. [05:58] Felicia entered tech transfer as a student and unexpectedly built a long-term career in the field.[08:10] She explains how the profession has evolved toward specialization and complementary skill sets across offices.[09:41] Maithili describes how her PhD led her to question what happens to research after publication.[11:22] She shares how the AUTM fellowship and the collaborative culture of the community shaped her career path.[13:18] The panel discusses why tech transfer welcomes professionals from many backgrounds, not just STEM or law.[15:23] Curiosity, flexibility, and comfort with ambiguity are emphasized as essential traits for success.[16:49] Why running for the AUTM Board felt timely and meaningful.[18:42] The importance of representing non-STEM and operational roles in tech transfer leadership.[20:14] Advocacy, higher-education pressures, and why board service feels urgent right now.[21:20] We discuss funding uncertainty, policy shifts, and broader challenges facing tech transfer.[24:02] Budget constraints, staffing pressures, and the reality of doing more with fewer resources are explored.[26:09] The importance of telling the tech transfer story and demonstrating real-world impact comes into focus.[29:10] Data and metrics are discussed as tools for visibility, accountability, and storytelling.[32:18] Artificial intelligence enters the conversation as both a disruptive force and a potential support tool.[35:10] The panel considers how AI could improve efficiency without replacing human judgment.[38:00] The guests share their hopes for where tech transfer and AUTM could be in five years.[39:50] Felicia shares a personal story that underscores why tech transfer work truly matters.[43:47] Reflections on partnership, service, and shared success.Resources: AUTMKatie Butcher - Northwestern UniversityKatie Butcher - LinkedInFelicia Metz - University of MarylandFelicia Metz - LinkedInMaithili Shroff - University of New HampshireMaithili Shroff - LinkedInAUTM Better World ProjectPatents, Peer Review, and Policy: What Congress Needs to Understand Now with Kate ZernikeLessons From the WIPO-AUTM Knowledge and Technology Transfer Summit with Steve Susalka
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    44 m
  • Building the Blue Economy at Seaworthy Collective with Tamara Kahn Zissman

    Building the Blue Economy at Seaworthy Collective with Tamara Kahn Zissman
    Jan 14 2026

    We’re diving into the blue economy with a fascinating conversation about ocean innovation and entrepreneurship. The discussion focuses on the practical reality of building ocean-focused companies, including the scientific complexity, regulatory hurdles, funding constraints, and long development timelines that make this sector very different from more familiar startup environments.

    Our guest is Tamara Kahn Zissman, Director of Founder Success at Seaworthy Collective, a Miami-based nonprofit accelerator supporting BlueTech startups focused on ocean impact. Before working with founders, Tamara spent more than a decade at sea using advanced geophysical sensors in demanding environments. Her work took her from the Arctic to the waters off Borneo, giving her a firsthand view of how ocean systems, climate pressures, and human activity intersect.

    Tamara holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Advanced Studies in Climate Science and Policy from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. At Seaworthy Collective, she designs and leads programs built around human-centered design, helping “Sea Change Makers” grow ocean data technologies into viable, planet-positive businesses. We also discuss the Ocean Enterprise Studio and Incubator launching in February 2026, with applications open through January 28, 2026.


    In This Episode:

    [00:04] The blue economy and why ocean innovation is becoming a critical focus within research commercialization.

    [02:44] Tamara Kahn Zissman explains what blue tech means and how the definition of the blue economy has shifted toward sustainability and regeneration.

    [04:15] She describes the ocean as one of the planet’s most important climate regulators and explains why data gaps remain such a major challenge.

    [06:21] We explore the founding vision behind Seaworthy Collective and how the organization evolved to better support ocean entrepreneurs.

    [07:18] Tamara discusses Seaworthy’s emphasis on human-centered design and why supporting founders as people is essential for long-term success.

    [10:20] Unique barriers ocean startups face, including capital intensity, long validation cycles, and regulatory complexity.

    [12:30] How collaboration across accelerators can create stronger commercialization pathways than competition alone.

    [13:36] What Seaworthy looks for in applicants and why alignment between founders and program support matters.

    [14:42] Tamara outlines the structure of the Ocean Enterprise Studio and Incubator and the level of commitment expected from participants.

    [16:28] The benefits of mixed cohorts that include both aspiring founders and early-stage startups.

    [18:45] How community support within cohorts accelerates learning and confidence for first-time founders.

    [21:30] We talk about the role of ocean data technologies and why they are central to the future of the blue economy.

    [24:10] How Seaworthy helps founders translate strong science into viable business models without losing impact.

    [27:05] Non-dilutive funding and why it plays a critical role in ocean innovation.

    [30:15] How the Continuum network connects ocean enterprise accelerators across the country.

    [33:20] We discuss how researchers and tech transfer professionals can better engage with ocean-focused startups.

    [36:56] Details on Seaworthy’s Ocean Enterprise Studio and Incubator launching in February 2026 with a January 28, 2026 application deadline.

    [38:21] What gives her hope about the future of ocean innovation and growing awareness of the blue economy.

    [39:52] A call for researchers and entrepreneurs to turn ocean research into real-world solutions.


    Resources:

    AUTM

    Seaworthy Collective

    Seaworthy Ocean Enterprise Studio & Incubator

    NOAA Ocean Enterprise Network

    Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    Tamara Kahn Zissman - LinkedIn
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    42 m
  • Lessons From the WIPO-AUTM Knowledge and Technology Transfer Summit with Steve Susalka

    Lessons From the WIPO-AUTM Knowledge and Technology Transfer Summit with Steve Susalka
    Jan 7 2026
    In November 2025, Bangkok, Thailand became the epicenter of a global conversation about the future of innovation. Leaders from around the world gathered for the WIPO-AUTM Knowledge and Technology Transfer Summit, creating a rare space for open discussion about what is working, what is strained, and what needs to evolve in the tech transfer profession.With participants representing 27 countries, the summit surfaced a striking reality. Whether operating within long-established innovation ecosystems or building tech transfer capacity from the ground up, institutions are wrestling with many of the same core issues. Conversations repeatedly returned to questions of impact, sustainability, and talent, as well as a growing disconnect between how innovation actually unfolds and how it is often funded or evaluated. Short timelines and rigid expectations simply do not match the slow, uneven, and sometimes unpredictable path from research to real-world application.At the same time, it was clear that there is no single right model. Every region approaches technology transfer through the lens of its own culture, institutions, and policy environment. Some emphasize startups, others focus on licensing or industry partnerships, and ownership structures vary widely. What connects these approaches is a shared understanding that technology transfer is no longer a straight line from disclosure to deal. It has become an ecosystem role that requires flexibility, patience, and long-term thinking.To help unpack what these global conversations mean for the future of the profession, we’re joined by Steve Susalka, CEO of AUTM, who chaired the summit and had a front-row seat to these discussions. Drawing on perspectives from across continents and systems, Steve offers a grounded view of where technology transfer stands today, where it’s headed, and what it will take to strengthen the profession, support the people doing the work, and expand its real-world impact.In This Episode:[05:32] Steve Susalka shares why the WIPO-AUTM Summit prioritized global dialogue over prescribing best practices.[07:12] Similar concerns surface regardless of whether countries have mature or emerging tech transfer systems.[09:01] Common challenges emerge across 27 countries, even among vastly different innovation ecosystems.[11:04] Why misunderstanding the role of tech transfer creates unrealistic expectations at the institutional level.[13:18] Short-term funding cycles collide with the long timelines required for meaningful innovation.[15:02] The tension between public mission and commercial pressure facing many university offices.[17:44] A comparison of global ownership models and how they influence faculty, startups, and industry engagement.[19:26] How early industry engagement can reduce friction later in the commercialization process.[22:09] Startup formation as a critical bridge across the “valley of death” for early-stage technologies.[24:41] Why some of the most impactful technologies require patience, risk tolerance, and exclusive pathways.[27:36] The profession’s shift away from linear tech transfer models toward ecosystem-based approaches.[29:58] The growing importance of culture-building and education alongside traditional licensing work.[32:15] Why attempting to replicate Silicon Valley or MIT often fails without comparable infrastructure and culture.[34:22] Tech transfer professionals as translators between academia, industry, and government.[36:58] The human toll of tech transfer work, including burnout, turnover, and career sustainability concerns.[39:11] What sustainability really means for tech transfer offices beyond annual budgets.[41:27] How promotion and tenure systems can either reinforce or undermine innovation efforts on campus.[44:08] Why global collaboration can help regions avoid repeating the same hard-earned lessons.[46:03] What surprised Steve most in conversations with leaders from emerging innovation ecosystems.[48:37] Why measuring success purely through revenue misses the broader value of innovation activity.[50:41] AUTM’s role in advocating for the profession and making its impact more visible.[55:12] Aligning funding expectations with realistic innovation timelines as a path to greater impact.[59:08] Steve’s closing call to action for institutions, policymakers, and tech transfer professionals worldwide.Resources: AUTMFostering Global Innovation: AUTM's Role in Shaping International Tech Transfer ConversationsWIPOStephen Susalka - LinkedIn
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    47 m
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