Idea to Impact Conference: Skills for Researchers on the Path to Commercialization
Registration has now CLOSED.
Have you ever thought about the potential social or economic impact of your research? Have you wondered how to get started on the path to commercialization?
Join us for an afternoon of speakers, workshops and networking that will help you gain valuable insights and skills for enhancing the impact of your research.
Our keynote speaker, Dr. Beau Standish, President of Global Enabling Technologies, will kick off the afternoon and will share his path from assistant professor to commercializing his research and developing a spin-out business.
Dr. Standish’s keynote will be followed by three interactive workshops that explore different pathways to getting your research from idea to impact: Intellectual Property & Commercialization, Entrepreneurship, and Knowledge Mobilization. Participants will have the opportunity to attend two out of the three sessions, and the afternoon will wrap up with a small networking reception.
This event is open to all faculty, staff and students at Brock University.
This event is hosted in partnership with the Brock LINC, the Office of Research Services, and the Faculty of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs.
Dr. Beau Standish assumed the role of President, Global Enabling Technologies after the merger of Orthofix Medical and SeaSpine Holdings Corporation in January 2023. Prior to this appointment, he served as SeaSpine’s President of Enabling Technologies since joining the company in 2021 following the acquisition of 7D Surgical also in 2021 that he co-founded and led as its Chief Executive Officer from 2014 to 2021. Prior to 7D Surgical, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Dr. Standish is an author on 50+ patents and leads the research, development, and commercialization of Orthofix’s machine-vision image guidance suite of products. Dr. Standish leverages his 19+ years of experience in the medical imaging space to bring products from the idea phase through to full commercialization. He achieved his Bachelor of Engineering from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, and holds a Ph.D. in Medical Biophysics from the University of Toronto, where he was a Terry Fox Scholar of the National Cancer Institute of Canada.
Intellectual Property and Commercialization
What is intellectual property? Who owns the IP I create at Brock? How do I protect it? How can I commercialize my idea? Dr. Bradley McLean, Associate Director of Innovation & Commercialization, Dr. Iva Bruhova, Business Development Manager, and Ashley Moniz, Legal Counsel, will provide an overview of intellectual property (such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, and more), the processes and pathways for IP and commercialization at Brock, and present a model for commercialization that you can apply to your idea.
Entrepreneurship Workshop
Do you have the skills and mindset to become an entrepreneur? The Entrepreneurial Mindset workshop will introduce you to the skills that enable people to identify and make the most of opportunities, overcome and learn from setbacks and succeed in a variety of settings. As part of this workshop, you will take a FREE assessment to learn about your top entrepreneurial skills, and you will learn about the entrepreneurial supports available at the Brock LINC as a pathway for commercialization.
Knowledge Mobilization 101
Knowledge Mobilization/Translation (KMb/KT) is a term used to define the movement of research knowledge into the hands of those that can use it to make informed decisions and inform practice/behaviours. KMb/KT occurs when research knowledge is applied to help facilitate further scientific studies, as well as real-world impact on policy and society. KMb/KT is becoming an increasingly important aspect of the research process including grant writing, reports, and HQP development. During this workshop you will learn more about research impact, KMb/KT, why this field exists, some specific strategies for planning and engaging in KMb/KT, and an overview of research impact-oriented experience and supports available at Brock.