Keeping AUTM Weird
This past February, we attended the 2019 AUTM Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas. With over 1,800 professionals in attendance, it was a great 4-day conference filled with networking, training, collaboration, and more. We had the opportunity to meet hundreds of industry and academia professionals at our exhibit booth, where we were celebrating the unique contributions women give to the industry in support of our #LikeAWoman campaign – a campaign designed to bring awareness to our diversity initiative. We were also highlighting the contributions of one woman in particular – Susan Riley Keyes, and sharing her legacy and continued impact on the profession.
The AUTM Annual Meeting is also the capstone event of our Technology Transfer Career Training Program, as each fellow selected to participate in the program is funded to attend the meeting. At the meeting, they take part in numerous training sessions, hear prominent keynote speakers, network with other industry professionals, and meet in person with their mentor. This year, we had fifteen fellows from the US, Mexico, Canada, the UK, and Portugal. Each fellow also received recognition at our awards dinner for the program on the last night of the Annual Meeting.
Some of our 2018-2019 Technology Transfer Career Training Program Fellows at the AUTM Foundation booth
Some of our fellows telling us what they do #LikeAWoman
Innovate, Network, Give, Create….#LikeAWoman
As we brought awareness to the absence of gender parity within patenting and the obstacles that women have to overcome, we also celebrated the unique qualities that women bring to their roles as leaders. Our #LikeAWoman campaign encouraged attendees – male and female – to stop by our booth and tell us what they do #LikeAWoman. We had everyone fill in the blank and get their photo taken so we could properly showcase all of the skills that should be celebrated.
#LikeAWoman also allowed us to draw attention to our diversity initiative and raise money to allow us to develop programs that will bring us closer to gender parity within the industry. Learn more about that initiative here.
You can still join the #LikeAWoman movement by tweeting us @AUTMfoundation about what you do #LikeAWoman or by making your contribution today.
Remembering Susan Riley Keyes: 100k in 100 Days
Susan Riley Keyes was a cancer researcher, an active AUTM board member, and a service-driven friend to all that knew her. She left a legacy of service to AUTM, support of the profession, and training of the next generation. The AUTM Foundation was humbled and honored to be given the opportunity of celebrating her legacy through the Susan Riley Keyes Memorial Fund, supported by the generosity of Susan’s husband, Tom Keyes. In 2018, the fund allowed us to open up six spots in our Technology Transfer Career Training Program to early career professionals from small TTOs across North America.
“I am immensely grateful and deeply honored to be considered capable of carrying forward Susan’s legacy of helping people through this program. The Susan Riley Keyes Fellowship has not only allowed me to do my job better, but it will ensure that innovation is accessible in its best form to the patients at Sunnybrook Research Institute.” – Drishi Vilkhu, Susan Riley Keyes Fellow
With the continued support of Tom Keyes, we are now working toward endowing the fund to support the program for years to come. Tom has generously committed to matching all donations up to $50,000 over the course of 100 days, beginning at the 2019 AUTM Annual Meeting. Join us in celebrating Susan’s legacy and make your contribution today.
Tom Keyes with the 2018-2019 Susan Riley Keyes Fellows at the 2019 AUTM Annual Meeting
Our 2018-2019 Fellows with their dedicated mentors
Training the Next Generation
The 2019 AUTM Annual Meeting is one of the core highlights of our Technology Transfer Career Training Program. Fellows participating in the program have their registration, hotel, and travel covered through the program, and are hence given an opportunity that otherwise may not be possible for most. Fellows take part in various training sessions, networking events, and are recognized by the AUTM Foundation and our program partners at an awards dinner dedicated to the fellows and their mentors.
The program is designed for early career professionals with less than one year of technology transfer experience or those interested in transitioning into the field. Fellows are assigned an expert mentor, given a two-year AUTM membership which includes access to AUTM’s 80+ webinar library and Tech Transfer Practice Manual, and also attend the AUTM Essentials Course prior to the Annual Meeting. Fellows get a kick-start to their career in technology transfer and are given the resources needed to exceed in their future technology transfer careers.
Stay Tuned
We can’t wait to show you all just how important and impactful the work we do is while highlighting some of our experiences at the 2019 AUTM Annual Meeting. Keep checking back for our recap video showcasing our programs, partnerships, and the meaningful work we do to enable opportunity and expand the profession.