UCF’s research and commercialization model is playing a key role in helping the country of Jordan transition to an innovation-based economy.

During a two-day visit to UCF, Jan. 13 and 14, Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya of Jordan met with students, faculty and representatives of UCF’s Office of Research and Commercialization, the Technology Incubator, and Venture Lab.

The princess is spearheading efforts in her country to increase research and development and promote entrepreneurship and technology commercialization. In 2006 she was appointed president of the Royal Scientific Society, Jordan’s leading applied scientific research institute. She is also chair of the board of Princess Sumaya University for Technology PSUT which she is in the process of restructuring into the cornerstone of a Science City. Research conducted at the university industry facilities will help resolve some of the country’s ongoing challenges in areas such as water, energy and the environment.

Her Royal Highness said she was attracted to UCF’s work in innovation through an ongoing student exchange program between UCF and PSUT. She also credited Issa Batarseh, Director and professor in the School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, with building the exchange program and sharing with Jordanian students how a technology can become a successful commercial venture.

UCF recently licensed technology developed by Batarseh, who is originally from Jordan to PetraSolar, a company that is working on developing a new method for transitioning power from solar panels into the electrical grid. Last fall PetraSolar opened an office in the Central Florida Research Park to work with UCF researchers.

HRH Princess Sumaya Bint El Hassan said that the integration of entrepreneurship and technology commercialization is what she is striving for in Jordan. “Walking around this campus gives me a little inkling of hope of where we can get our campus,” she said.

UCF’s Business Incubation and Entrepreneurship Program includes five incubation facilities in the Central Florida region, the UCF Orange County Venture lab and the UCF Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in addition to the UCF Technology Transfer Office.

“We’re honored that HRH Princess Sumaya Hassan Bint El Hassan selected UCF as a place to visit to exchange ideas on how to best support innovation based economic development,” said Tom O’Neal, Associate Vice President for Research and Commercialization and Director of the UCF Incubation program. The winners in the new knowledge based economy will be the ones that can most effectively develop and transfers technology to the marketplace,” said O’Neal.

 

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