Universities Incorporated: Making Connections

“University Inc.” does a fine job pointing out the growing and valuable connections between academic and industrial research (C&EN, Aug. 5, page 12). Another model is the University of Minnesota’s IPRIME (Industrial Partnership for Research in Interfacial & Materials Engineering). I serve as director of this effort in which more than 50 companies invest in precompetitive projects. Although you credit Pennsylvania State University with innovating a policy that “would consider contracts that grant industrial research partners all IP rights,” the University of Minnesota implemented such a policy in 2011.

Chris Macosko
Minneapolis