Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012 - (Page 6)

BRIEFS Can evolution lead to better cities? Evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson’s latest book, The Neighborhood Project: Using Evolution to Improve My City, One Block at a Time, follows him through a somewhat radical experiment: He adopts his hometown as his study organism. “I’m studying my city of Binghamton not as an aloof scientist but because I think my expertise can make a difference,” Wilson writes. “Just as we need the physical sciences to build the physical structure of the city, we need evolutionary science to understand and manage the life that takes place within the city. … If we can improve the quality of life in Binghamton, then we can become a model for cities everywhere.” The book, which is part memoir, part how-to guide, was published last fall. It has created a stir in the scientific community and beyond, with reviews in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and the journal Nature, among other publications. Wilson, a distinguished professor of biology and anthropology, is also the director of Binghamton’s unique Evolutionary Studies program, which takes an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to teaching and research related to evolution. He’s the author of several other books, including Evolution for Everyone and Darwin’s Cathedral. To read an excerpt of the new book, visit http:// go.binghamton.edu/ neighborhood. Industry gets the ‘BEST’ deal Binghamton University now can offer companies that collaborate on R&D projects a simplified way to use inventions arising from sponsored research. The Binghamton Express Square Terms (BEST) Deal License is a non-exclusive, royalty-free, paid-up license. “This is an innovative way for us to engage industry partners,” says Bahgat Sammakia, interim vice president for research. “We are eager to remain a leader in developing research collaborations with companies around the world, and the BEST Deal can help us do just that.” About 17 percent of Binghamton’s research awards come from business and industry. Industrial support accounted for just 6 percent of academic R&D funding nationwide, according to the National Science Foundation. The time-saving and cost-effective licensing process is a natural result of Binghamton’s ongoing work with the private sector, says Eugene Krentsel, assistant vice president for entrepreneurship and innovation partnerships. “We listen to industry and are interested in understanding their needs,” he says. “Companies say simplicity and predictability are their biggest concerns about licensing.” Participating firms pay a one-time license fee of $1,000 for each U.S. or foreign patent application filed and made part of the license. They also compensate the University for expenses related to acquiring patent rights they request. Krentsel says the low-cost deal fits companies large and small. “Our nominal fee is a trivial expense when it comes to protecting potentially important discoveries,” he says. “Firms could easily spend more than that just on legal fees related to negotiations.” Binghamton University • BINGHAMTON RESEARCH • Spring/Summer 2012 David Sloan Wilson talks about Darwin and community activism on WNYC radio. 6 http://go.binghamton.edu/neighborhood http://go.binghamton.edu/neighborhood http://go.binghamton.edu/neighborhood

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012

Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012
Contents
About Binghamton Research
Welcome
Briefs
Digital defenders
Jockeying for genetic advantage
The unfiltered truth
Spring awakening
Wall Street watchdog
Principles of the universe demand principled engineers
Engineering and Science Building
Graduate research
Undergraduate research
A piece of the puzzle
Crossword puzzle

Binghamton Research Magazine - Spring/Summer 2012