research to real world

Are you a Maine researcher with an innovative idea, groundbreaking technology, or a new curriculum?
Do you want to expand the societal impact of your work but aren’t sure how to move forward?

A collage of photos showing different UMaine research innovations with a blue text box in the center: Research to Real World Commercialization Training Series

Join the Research to Real World Training Series hosted by the Foster Center for Innovation. This professional development program is designed to help researchers like you transform your discoveries into real-world solutions that benefit society.
Learn how to refine your ideas, deliver impactful products or services, and collaborate with external partners to maximize your reach.

Why participate?

Gain the tools to translate your research into societal impact.
Learn how to engage with industry and community partners.
Learn how to find funding and resources to commercialize your innovations.

Choate Hall and Stewart Logo

The 2025-26 R2RW Series
is proudly sponsored by 
Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP

Fall 2025 Workshops
Noon-1:00 p.m. (Virtual)

Learn the fundamentals of research commercialization in a university setting, understand the various pathways to the marketplace, get exposure to campus resources designed to assist faculty, and learn about additional professional development offerings planned for the year.

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Could you get a patent for your innovation? What about trademarks and copyrights? How do you determine the value of your intellectual property? Intellectual Property can be a valuable asset, and its protection helps foster innovation and R&D by ensuring that inventors can reap the benefits of their work. During this Introduction to IP workshop, you will learn about the different types of intellectual property and critical steps in evaluating and protecting intellectual property.

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If you’ve never considered where your research expertise could add value or help solve problems in the wider world, this is where you should start. It’s a helpful exercise — we can prompt you through it — that will help you strategically approach opportunities for sponsored activity.

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Aligning research ideas to real-world needs and wants is a key step to getting new technologies adopted. In this workshop, we’ll cover how customer discovery practices can help ensure that your research is on the right path to solving the world’s biggest challenges.

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4 core workshops + 7 electives

Complete all core workshops + any two electives and earn a completion certificate

Core WorkshopsElective Workshops
1. Kickoff to Commercialization 1. Grant Writing and Funding Pathways
2. Intellectual Property Bootcamp 2. Entrepreneurial Businesses
3. Working with External Partners 3. SBIR/STTR Workshops
4. Idea Validation4. Industry Collaborations and Licensing
5. Commercialization in Education, Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts
6. Ethics in Commercialization
7. Regulatory Pathway for Medical Devices