CRANE, Ind. – Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) honored more than 70 inventors in the Sixth Annual Invention and Technology Showcase at the High Velocity Innovation Center (HiVe) on December 12, 2019. Three NSWC Crane employees were recognized as “Technology Transfer (T2) Contributors of the Year”, one from each of Crane’s mission areas.
75 inventors were honored at the Inventor and Technology Showcase. This past year, 37 patents were issued in Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19); many of which were on display at the event.
“The Invention and Technology Showcase is a great way to celebrate the efforts made by the national technical leaders here at NSWC Crane,” says Dr. Brett Seidle, the Technical Director at NSWC Crane. “For the past six years, we’ve celebrated the inventors and the novel technology they create for the warfighter. It’s exciting to look around the room and see the impact of their work.”
The Technology Transfer (T2) team organizes the event each year. Jenna Dix, the T2 Director at NSWC Crane, says the impact of these inventions are diverse and widespread.
“Crane scientists and engineers are looking to solve problems and find better ways of doing things,” says Dix. “In some cases, these inventions have provided game-changing solutions that meet the needs of warfighters. Some of these drastically reduce the cost of products or processes and can be integrated externally into the commercial sector. The inventions are unique and the impact extends beyond the Department of Defense.”
Three inventors were awarded for their T2 contributions in 2019: Dr. Corey Bergsrud, an engineer, Ryan Ubelhor, a chemist, and Dr. Matthew Gadlage, an engineer.
Dr. Bergsrud, an engineer at NSWC Crane, has used a variety of T2 mechanisms to enable the mission, including using CRADAs with academic partners to further STEM education in innovation.
Dr. Bergsrud has initiated Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) with Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and with Bloomington High School South, two pending invention disclosures, and one patent application. Dr. Bergsrud’s use of T2 tools has enabled him to work with interns and students to give them real-world experience, encouraging them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. His work with IUPUI has also expanded into two new joint senior design projects relating to radiofrequency (RF) wireless power beaming.
Ubelhor, a chemist at NSWC Crane, serves as a point of contact for a specialty technology area. This involves active collaboration with other government agencies, universities, corporations, and representatives of foreign governments. These collaborations often occur through the use of T2 mechanisms, such as CRADAs or joint research proposals. These efforts make him an active Subject Matter Expert within the related international technical community.
Dr. Gadlage, an engineer at NSWC Crane, has been heavily involved with technology transfer and patent programs since he joined the NSWC Crane team. He has multiple CRADAs with industry partners and over 15 issued patents in the IP portfolio, with three of them issuing in FY19.
Dix says it is important to recognize all the inventors.
“The technology created is not only critical to solving warfighter problems, but it is a crucial part of the broader innovation ecosystem,” says Dix. “These inventors are leaders in their fields of study. This event brings everyone together to celebrate those who keep their heads down and work hard around the clock.”
About NSWC Crane
NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electronic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today's Warfighter.
NSWC Crane’s Technology Transfer (T2) Program helps link federal research and development to academic institutions and businesses in the private sector. The NSWC Crane T2 program has partnerships with more than 100 businesses, individuals and universities, including approximately 200 active agreements.
Join Our Team! NAVSEA employs a highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce - from students and entry level employees to experienced professionals and individuals with disabilities. We support today's sophisticated Navy and Marine Corps ships, aircraft, weapon systems and computer systems. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, IT and cyber specialists, as well as trade and other support professionals to ensure the U.S. Navy can protect and defend America. Please contact NSWC Crane Human Resources at crane_recruiting@navy.mil.