FAQ - Faculty
The most important roles faculty play are 1) defining the research themes ("platforms") for student teams and 2) helping to identify student/postdoc participants. After that, students lea the majority of the work with faculty serving in an advisory role, providing guidance and context as needed.
A research platform is a coherent area of a research that can support multiple potential applications (e.g. a material, method, or technology area). Each platform supports one team of 3-5 students/postdocs as they explore multiple possible market applications.
Before the program: Approximately 1-2 hour planning call with facilitators to build out your research platform.
During Stage 1 (August 13-14): Opportunity to attend or observe workshop sessions; drop-in as desired.
During Stage 2A: Periodic check-ins with students teams, participation in kickoff sessions (August 31 - September 2) and/or the final presentation in December.
Faculty are not expected to participate in all workshop activities or maintain a continous presence throughout the program.
- Stronger ability to articulate the broader impact of research
- New pathways for funding (SBIR/STTR, industry partnerships, etc.)
- Enhanced mentoring of students
- Exposure to new ways of thinking about research direction
- Potential pipeline for licensing or venture opportunities