An expert visit – protection of information in technology transfer (EF-Trans project)

During December 2 – 4, 2011 the BUT welcomed Dr. Octávia Frota. The visit was enabled by BUT participation in the EF-Trans project and was co-ordinated by the Technology Transfer Office. Objective of the collaboration with the distinguished foreign experts within EF-Trans project is to gain best practise examples, which should serve as an inspiration for further development of technology transfer.

The agenda  encompassed workshops for TTO team and students from Faculties of Chemistry (FC), Mechanical Engineering (FME) and Electrical Engineering and Communication (FEEC). In the first meeting our University  was introduced and the challenges and opportunities faced by our University and TTO summed up. A workshop for students from FME and FEEC took also place. On the second day a vivid discussion on intellectual property protection aspects was held, especially regarding the protection of information and knowledge during technology transfer processes and procedures. The afternoon was dedicated to a workshop for students and researchers of the Material Research Centres at Faculty of Chemistry. Dr Frota shared her experiences from international research collaborations within aerospace,  defense and security fields.

The last day of the visit was dedicated to summarising the incentives and recommendations such as:

• enhance security of information concerning inventions and new technologies; 
• common sense as a key enabler of cooperation within new technologies development programmes and sophisticated management practices;  
• TTO as a support service for better (simpler & easier) practices leading to more successful collaborative Research Programmes;
• capitalising on in-house experience of senior staff
• comprehensive approach to managing Intellectual Property at the University.

Our Team considers the visit very beneficial and  trusts the collaboration is to continue in the forthcoming years.

Dr. Frota is an internationally recognised senior scientist in the research field of explosives and propellants. She also successfully participated on propulsion research for the European Space Agency   at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA/ESTEC). Later on was appointed Deputy Director for Research & Technology at the European Defence Agency (EDA). Nowadays, she is a senior advisor to various European Governments, Institutions and Agencies for Aerospace, Defence and Security while being a member of various experts’ panels for the European Union.