FSU innovators honored for efforts to commercialize research

Foam that could make protective equipment safer and more comfortable, test kits that can detect the presence of pork in cooked food and magnets that can be built without rare earth materials were just some of the inventions honored last night during Florida State University’s 11th Annual Innovators’ Reception.

“These innovators should be thunderously applauded for their efforts to commercialize their research,” said FSU Vice President for Research Gary K. Ostrander. “It is no small task to first recognize the marketplace potential of your work and then endure the highs and lows of its commercial journey.”

The event highlighted individuals who patented their research discoveries in the past year, but the highest honors were reserved for the researchers who have taken significant steps on the commercialization path. They included individuals whose research resulted in the creation of a new company, signing of a new license agreement or awarding of an FSU GAP Commercialization Grant.

“Commercialization of an invention is an arduous process that requires persistence, but it is a process that provides the potential for significant benefits to those involved and to the world,” said Brent Edington, director of the FSU Office of Commercialization. “The process can also produce value to local economies through job creation and economic diversification.”

To help convey the accomplishments of those being honored, three videos premiered during the event showcasing the stories of different researchers and their teams who have achieved significant milestones in the commercialization process. Links to the videos are as follows:

New foam technology for protective equipment and medical devices

Test kits that detect traces of pork in processed food

Building permanent magnets without rare earth materials

To learn more about FSU innovations and the researchers behind them, visit http://about.research.fsu.edu/.