Tanaga A. Boozer, director of FAMU's Office of Technology Transfer Licensing and Commercialization (OTTLC), has been awarded a U.S. Patent (U.S. 8,117,131 B2) titled “Distributed Technology Transfer Department.” The system, also known as the Virtual Technology Transfer Office (VTTO), is a web-based system designed to substantially reduce the cost of running a small technology transfer office.Two National Science Foundation grants — Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Partnership for Innovation — and a Technology Commercialization Grant from the Leon County Research Authority supported the VTTO project.
“I was elated when I saw the patent because this marks the beginning of a new era of obtaining affordable patent and technology transfer services,” said Boozer. “For universities, small businesses and independent inventors, the VTTO is a practical solution to patenting, marketing and licensing new products. The most important thing to note about the VTTO is that it was designed to ensure that the innovations developed by HBCU [historically black colleges and universities] inventors and creators are properly attributed and have the greatest chance of being commercialized.”
K. Ken Redda, professor and acting vice president for Research said, “I congratulate Ms. Boozer for developing this exciting Virtual Technology Transfer Office system. I believe this system will substantially enhance the process of bringing new discoveries and inventions to the marketplace.”
Ken Tolson, who was appointed by U.S. President Barack Obama as a member of his board of advisors on historically black colleges and universities, stated that he is optimistic about Boozer’s invention. Tolson chair's the board's first-ever committee on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“Ms. Boozer has created an opportunity for HBCUs to build capacity and infrastructure as it relates to technology transfer and commercialization,” said Tolson. “In essence, her tool will help increase the presence of HBCUs on the Milken index, increase the technology partnerships with majority schools and ultimately answer the President's call for increased opportunities for HBCUs in the areas of STEM and technology transfer. Kudos to Ms. Boozer for having the vision to see it through.”