Thomas
“The guidance from LifeArc and AUTM, the overall support and atmosphere during the fellowship and far beyond is overwhelming.”
2022 – 2023 LifeArc-AUTM Fellow
Why I joined
From a young age, I have been fascinated by the intersection of science and innovation. This fascination led me to pursue the Diploma in Biology at The Free University of Berlin and The Rockefeller University in New York, where I had the privilege of immersing myself in the world of academia and research. During my long academic journey, I developed a profound appreciation for the potential of scientific discoveries to catalyze positive change in society. After 15 years in biomedical research, I took the opportunity to start my career as a technology manager at a university hospital.
As an absolute beginner in the field of technology transfer, I was keen to find an additional expert-led programme that would help me to better understand the different levels of technology commercialization and improve my skills as a technology manager.
In my opinion, the guidance from LifeArc and AUTM, the overall support and atmosphere during the fellowship and far beyond is overwhelming.
Being part of a group of trainees, especially at the beginning of a career, is an invaluable backbone for growing confidence and increasing knowledge within technology transfer and the best back-to-school experience I have had so far.”
What it was like
In particular, the clear structure of the LifeArc-AUTM Fellowship programme with regular mentor and fellow meetings, flexible access to webinars and training courses is a great concept that has really accelerated my entry into the technology transfer profession.
The benefits of the programme are immense. Completing the AUTM Essentials of Technology Transfer course gave me a great overview of different topics and the case studies helped me to understand the basic principles of technology valuation and different negotiation strategies. Also, my participation in the AUTM and ASTP annual meetings were unique opportunities to learn about emerging issues in the field as well as best practice approaches in technology transfer, ranging from marketing, licensing to start-up formation. In addition, both meetings provided great networking opportunities that helped me to develop my still growing professional network in a very short time.
Where I am now
Although, it has been a fast and sometimes challenging year, I am very grateful to have been introduced to the technology transfer community during the LifeArc-AUTM Fellowship. After completing the programme, I continue to benefit from my professional network and the ongoing knowledge exchange with mentors, past and present fellows, who allow me to gain different perspectives on my tasks as a technology and science manager. In addition, at the end of the fellowship I was awarded with the candidate Registered Technology Transfer Professional (cRTTP) status, confirming my passion and commitment to the field and the technology transfer community.