New FLEET Translation Program shepherding scientific discovery towards commercialisation

FLEET has engaged Dr Michael Harvey to guide FLEET members through the process of identifying promising projects for translation to industry, and shepherd them through the process of establishing linkages.

The FLEET Translation Program will:

• Identify Centre members with the desire and capability to translate their research
• Discover projects within FLEET that are ready for translation
• Train FLEET membership in key translation skills.

Strategic funds of $500k (2022–23) have been allocated to boost translation projects and provide targeted training, with three funding programs of between 6 and 18 months:

1. Higher degree by research (HDR) translation stipend allowing the recipient to participate in a research-translation project
2. Translation Fellowship providing paid time for a research fellow to undertake translation of their own research or to be part of an identified project, taking on leadership responsibilities
3. Facilitation project funding equipment, consumables, external vendor costs, etc. required to undertake a research-translation project, overcoming commercialisation barriers, gaining access to funding, or enabling larger projects with external partners.

The program was launched internally during the Centre’s end-of-year meeting, in which Michael began discussions with several members already interested in translating their projects.

Priorities for 2022 include:

• Meeting FLEET people to learn about our research and opportunities
• Surveying membership to identify members and projects ready for translation and understand training needs
• Engaging new industrial partners
• Creating a rolling call for proposals for translation projects
• Establishing new training programs in areas of need, particularly in intellectual property
• Helping with advice about translation, commercialisation, industry, startups, and fundraising.

The new program focuses on members, and success will be seen in FLEET members forging new links with industry, FLEET knowledge and research translated into applications with industry partners, and FLEET members trained in translation skills.

Dr Michael Harvey developed the program as a flagship initiative within the ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS), and the expansion to FLEET represents a move from ‘local’ success to even more impact in the Australian research community.