An expert in translating researches into commercially viable technologies visited MSU-IIT on October 22, 2013 to speak to Institute researchers, faculty members, and students.
Dr. Surya Raghu, the Founding President of Advanced Fluidics, LLC in Maryland, USA, spent his busy working-visit at the Institute not only meeting with researchers but delivering two lectures—one in the morning and another in the afternoon.
Raghu talked about “Blending Science and Engineering to Meet Societal Needs” to science and engineering students and faculty members in the morning where he emphasized on the collaborative work between scientists and engineers.
He focused on societal needs since he said “the needs of society are the drivers of research and development.”
Raghu then lectured on “Universities as Part of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem” in the afternoon where he stressed the importance of securing patents for inventions.
According to Raghu, intellectual property protection is the active catalyst for the transformation of local economies since the invention can now be put in the market without fear of being copied.
The afternoon lecture was given to the technical staff of the Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO ), faculty members of the College of Business Administration and Accountancy ( CBAA) and faculty researchers.
Raghu has a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from Yale University, and is an expert in meso/micro/nanofluidic devices and associated instrumentations.
He has 12 issued patents on his researches with four of these having been commercialized. One broadly commercialized invention of Raghu’s is the car windshield washer nozzle that is presently used in high-end cars manufactured by Mercedes Benz, GM and Saab among others.
Raghu’s extensive experience in exploiting research and translating it into commercially viable technologies has made him a sought-after speaker and consultant in developing countries.
Specifically, Raghu is asked to speak on the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem, technology transfers at universities, creation of technology roadmaps, and how to bring inventions to market.
The visit of Raghu, made possible by the efforts of Vice Chancellor for Research & Extension Jinky Bornales bodes well for the Institute which is set to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem of its own in preparation for the establishment of a Technology Business Incubation Facility on campus.
Universities or Higher Education Institutions ( HEIs) are considered catalysts of economic development by bringing to market the innovations and inventions done in universities.
According to Raghu, the highest potential for generating ideas is in the fresh, bright, and creative minds of a university. by M. Esperanza P. Cruz, OVCRE for the OC-OPI
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