The UNM Office of Research and Compliance, UNM Foundation, and UNM Office of the Vice President for Research hosted the University Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP) President, Dr. Anthony Boccanfuso, recently. Boccanfuso met with members of the university’s research leadership on Main Campus and at the Health Sciences Center, STC.UNM’s President and CEO, and the Deputy Secretary of the New Mexico Economic Development Department.
Boccanfuso also presented at the Anderson School of Management where he shared his insights on university-industry partnerships and discussed modes for bolstering partnerships with the industry. UNM researchers, leaders, and administrators used this opportunity to share ideas on increasing collaborations with the industry and, also, to showcase UNM’s research capabilities.
Partnerships between universities and companies can be beneficial for both organizations. Universities can provide expertise and equipment that may not be accessible to private companies, as well as access to students for possibilities in future employment. On the other hand, the private sector can provide additional financial support to universities and access to the economic marketplace along with new experiences and environments for faculty and students.
“Corporate-university partnerships are good for the nation,” said Boccanfuso, “and collaboration poses challenges and opportunities to both parties. Once you build a strong relationship it can be very valuable in more than just dollars.”
The UIDP is a non-profit organization comprised of leading innovation companies and highly regarded research universities from around the world that work together to find better ways to partner and increase the benefits from collaborations between the sectors. Members identify strategic and tactical issues impacting university-industry relations, create opportunities to develop innovative approaches to working together and find practical solutions to shared challenges impeding success. UNM has been a member of UIDP since 2009 and as such, faculty, staff and administrators from across UNM (including branches) have access to its expertise and services.
“Every university wants to improve its industry engagement program and competition for industry partnerships functions on a global scale, so it is important for universities to expand their approach to these partnerships,” Boccanfuso explained. “Access to students remains the number one draw for industry to want to partner with a university.”
The UNM Office of Research and Compliance (ORC) is dedicated to advancing a culture of research ethics, integrity, and compliance through awareness programs, monitoring, and responding to non-compliance. Commitment to compliance includes appropriate oversight to assist members of the UNM community in conducting research activities based upon the highest standards of integrity and excellence through teamwork and professionalism. ORC’s Executive Director, Ana Andzic Tomlinson, is a contributor to UIDP and has been vested in breaking barriers to industry-university research collaborations while remaining in compliance.
The UNM Foundation promotes excellence at the University of New Mexico by raising, investing, and managing private gifts through the cultivation of long-term partnerships with donors and by matching their interests to the University’s priorities. Its Senior Vice President of Principal Giving and Regional Development, Wendy Stires, has fostered research development at UNM by securing gifts, partnerships, and donations from the private sector through UIDP and otherwise.
The UNM Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) serves the UNM research community with resources, support, and guidance to drive innovation and discovery for the state of New Mexico and beyond. The OVPR provides the infrastructure for proposal development and award execution, recognition for research excellence, and initiatives to stimulate growth of UNM’s research enterprise. The Vice President for Research, Gabriel López, has been committed to fostering industry-related initiatives and, among other things, has convened a Corporate Roundtable to addresses systemic impediments to corporate collaborations.