The Relation of University Research Infrastructure to Revolutionary Technology

本研究将考察目前进入商业化阶段的两项技术，以确定学术研究基础设施，特别是由国家科学基金会支持的基础设施对其出现的影响。这项研究将追踪这些技术的发展阶段，从最初意识到它们的潜力到发展，再到目前的早期商业化。本课程将研究两种在发展过程中面临一系列问题的技术。光纤电缆和高温超导体是主要的研究对象。其目的将是追踪大学研究基础设施与技术创新之间的联系（或缺乏联系）。该研究将分析大学内部和外部因素如何影响大学研究基础设施在这些技术出现中的作用。本研究旨在提供所研究技术的轶事数据，这可能有助于理解NSF/ENG在新兴工程技术的技术创新中所起的作用。

This research will examine two technologies presently entering the commercialization stage to determine the impact that academic research infrastructures, particularly those supported by the National Science Foundation, have had on their emergence. The study will trace these technologies over the stages of their evolution, from initial awareness of their potential through development, to their present early commercialization. Studied will be two technologies that have faced a range of issues over their course. Fiber optic cables and high temperature superconductors are prime candidates for study. The aim will be to track the linkages (or lack of linkages) of university research infrastructure to technological innovation. The study will analyze how factors internal and external to the university influenced the role university research infrastructure played in the emergence of these technologies. The study seeks to provide anecdotal data on the technologies studied that may help in understanding the role that NSF/ENG can play in technological innovation in emerging engineering technologies.