Technology-transfer workshop

A workshop was held to generate a better understanding of the many diverse factors and steps involved in the technology transfer process. The introductory presentations reviewed relevant theories, addressed the importance of planning for the process, and presented possible organizational structures to help promote the process. Specific cases were used to expose the participants to a variety of situations that were relevant to EPRI. These sessions served as a common starting point for small group discussions that were eventually combined into a list of recommendations for future action by EPRI (and should be useful for others as well). Some of the key conclusions reached are: it is important to identify incentives; the process is more effective if it is personalized; planning cannot start too early; recipes can be developed for customizing to specific situations; and both transmitter and receptor must recognize and fulfill their roles