Back in November, I urged technology transfer offices (TTOs) to take caution when using interns. They can be a great help… if you structure it right. There’s a lot more to say about this topic. So, I decided to write a paper detailing the best practices for effective TTO internship programs. My recommendations are based on Fuentek’s experience with establishing TTO internship programs at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and several other universities.

With the right training program, students can be a huge help to TTOs both when times are tight and when budgets are flush. Back in 2001, Fuentek facilitated the implementation of a student intern program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), which the Office of Technology Management continues to use and refine to this day.