Word: atkinsons
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Saying that the CPC has experienced "good, steady progress," Atkinson takes pride in noting that the committee has gotten about 75 discoveries and inventions patented. He is quick to add that it has found an equal number of patentable ideas. In addition, it has begun to investigate possible changes in the University's existing policy on copyrights, which cover such expanding fields as computer software and audio-visual work. "The committee is a better committee now than it ever has been," Atkinson says...
Despite any dark clouds the Ptashne case may have spread over the public perception of technology transfer, the CPC plans to continue developing. "My view is that what you'll see in ten years or so is a relatively highly organized approach to relationships with industry," Atkinson says, adding. "I think it's do-able--but I think it's a change that has to be dealt with very gradually and very carefully...
...license them to developers. Toward this end, Harvard established a Committee on Patents and Copyrights (CPC), which began work in 1977 under the chairmanship of Henry C. Meadow, dean for planning and special projects in the Faculty of Medicine, and which, according to executive director Stephen H. Atkinson '67, has always put the goal of serving the public before that of financing the University. "The whole slant of the patent committee and particularly Meadow was been that we are doing this because we have an obligation to do so," Atkinson says...
...Ptashne case and not technology transfer--which affects more than scientific research--seemed paramount, non-scientists were not particularly excited about the discussion. "My colleagues in the natural sciences, I think they were interested in it. Others in the humanities thought, 'Well, this is for the scientists,'" Solbrig says. Atkinson also recalls an air of suspicion among Faculty members because the memo never once refers to Ptashne--who characteristically refuses to comment on the whole affair--by name: "They wanted to say, 'Why don't you just put your cards no the table and tell us,'" he says...
...anything, what one source calls "the Ptashne flasco" has alerted the Faculty and the public to the supposed dangers of technology transfer. Atkinson says that while his committee's work was basically unaffected by the administration's jump into the field (see sidebar), negative feelings among senior Faculty members may have hindered efforts to encourage the surfacing of patentable ideas. While almost all sources say they envision the evolutionary development of technology transfer at Harvard, some worry that the Ptashne case may have weighted down the progress of such a program rather than accelerated it. The key factor, most...