Q&A with Stephen McKeever

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Published: October 27, 2009

OSU agency helping technology reach new heights in state

Q: Can you tell us a little about OSU’s technology transfer program?

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A: The idea is to put some small amounts of funding — $25,000 or $30,000 — into programs that might have the potential for commercialization, either in the form of a license agreement or perhaps ultimately a start-up company. Many of these programs are at very early stages, and they need some testing, something developing a little further, they need a student being put on the project; we provide that funding to allow them to take that next step.

Q: Has the program grown since it began?

A: Very much so. It’s grown from just two or three projects in the first year to this past round, we had about 13 proposals — really top-class proposals, as well. So it’s not an increase in the number; it’s an increase in the quality.

Q: Can you share a success story?

A: We have one called SensorCorr, which is the development of a corrosion sensor that will communicate back to a central station or handheld station via radio frequency. It uses what’s known as an RFID tag. Whenever corrosion starts to appear on the structure that these tags are placed on, it sends a signal which can be read and monitored so you know that corrosion has started. Another one is called XploSafe, which is a program that detects homemade explosives — the kinds of explosive that were used in the London bombing and the shoe bomber. They’re very simple to make with household chemicals, and so very popular. To date, very few technologies exist that will allow you to detect them, to sense them. And furthermore, a technology that will allow you to neutralize them just by some aerosol spray on the explosive. Those are two examples.

Q: Tell me about the "CoStart” program.

A: It’s a program that we’ve worked on over a number of years to get established. Many times young professors are a bit reluctant to start a business based on their technology because they need fairly expensive equipment to carry on doing some of the basic measurements in order to prove the technology. So we have established a program that will allow them to do that using the OSU research labs. There is a consideration that comes back to the university; it’s not a gift by any means. It just allows them access to the kind of equipment that they would need to start their programs. We allow that to happen for a period of 12 months and then they have to move off campus to continue the growth of the company.

DON MECOY, BUSINESS WRITER