U of S : Communications : OCN : Apr 9, 1998

Turning more lab-developed technologies into marketable products is a key goal of Dr. Branko Peterman, newly appointed president and CEO of University of Saskatchewan Technologies Inc.

"I want to encourage more U of S researchers to commercialize their findings and create spin-off companies," says Peterman, who took over the position April 1. He succeeds Dr. Simon Wood, who moved to British Columbia last July.

Peterman comes here from Ottawa, where he was manager of intellectual property for Natural Resources Canada, overseeing all aspects of transferring technology from federal research labs to industry.

He says he wants to influence scientists not just to publish but to find commercial applications for their research with a view to finding solutions for industrial problems.

"In five year's time, I'd like to see a cluster of 20 or 30 new spin-off companies around the U of S that will help to create new employment in the province."

UST Inc. was incorporated in 1991 as the University's technology transfer arm. The wholly owned U of S company evaluates the research results of researchers, assesses patentability, and determines potential companies or individuals who may wish to license the technology or form a company to exploit it.

The U of S has a long history of technology transfer and creating spin-off companies, beginning with SED Systems Inc.

Peterman reports to a 10-member board of directors made up of five University representatives and five people from the business community.

From 1986 to 1989, he was commercial development officer at Carleton University, prior to which he worked as a scientist for Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.

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