Knowledge & technology transfer

Goal: Landcare Research adds value to the New Zealand economy through commercially viable products and services, their transfer to partners in the private sector and, where appropriate, overseas licensing.

Context

Government, local government, business and industry are increasingly expecting new technologies and credible, evidence-based, defensible solutions to a range of environmental, land and water, and biodiversity management issues. In additional to contracted research and consultancy services for clients, we also deliver a range of commercial services that are closely aligned to our Core Purpose. We typically operate in emerging rather than the established markets addressed by the sector-based environmental consultants.

We continue to seek ways to speed the availability of new knowledge and technology to potential markets. In refining prototype technologies, we take a partnership approach with early adopters. In June 2012 Landcare Research joined the Kiwi Innovation Network (KiwiNet), which is a consortium of CRIs and universities dedicated to taking a collaborative approach to commercialisation.

Landcare Research undertakes a wide range of knowledge transfer initiatives that are focused on the timely sharing of relevant information in accordance with end-user priorities. Such initiatives include the new National Land Resource Centre and new web portals (e.g. http://lris.scinfo.org.nz/), applications and frameworks to increase access to and usability of data in our Nationally Significant Databases and Collections.

This year, we developed a highly-successful lunchtime seminar series for policymakers, government science teams and environmental stakeholders in Wellington. Each month, one of our senior researchers presents science relevant to a topical policy issue. DOC, MPI, TPK and MfE have all hosted at least one seminar each. The series has prompted much ongoing discussion within and between the various agencies.