Follow us on Instagram
Try our daily mini crossword
Play our latest news quiz
Download our new app on iOS/Android!

New position to market U. research filled by lawyer who negotiated on behalf of town

The University’s Office of TechnologyLicensing hashired Bradford Middlekauff as its first executive in residence, a part-time consulting position to assist researchers and students in translating their technologies into the marketplace, Office of TechnologyLicensingDirector John Ritter said in a phone interview.

Ritter explained that, although the position of executive in residence already exists at other institutions, it was inaugurated at the University to provide additional benefits and man power to the office.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ritter said Middlekauff was a particularly strong candidate because of his unique background and perspective.

“He’s not a University technology transferred professional; he comes from industry,” Ritter said. “He has a different set of experiences and skill sets.”

Several weeks before discussing his potential job application to the University, Middlekauff assisted in negotiations over the University’s multi-million dollar voluntary contribution to the town budget. Although Middlekauff did reach out to Ritter in February to ask if he knew about any future job opportunities at university spinoff companies, he sent inquires to over 100 people, companies and institutions and did not discuss working for the University itself until several months later.

“Any of those discussions happened after the Payment in Lieu of Taxeshad been fully negotiated and announced,” Middlekauff said of his later correspondence with the Office of TechnologyLicensing.

The Office of Technology Licensinginitially asked for his feedback about the establishment of an executive in residence program, if he would be interested in hearing more about it and if he knew of anyone who would be interested in the position in June, according to Middlekauff.

Middlekauff eventually expressed interest in the position himself, and began working for the University in October.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It’s a legitimate question to pursue,”Roger Martindell,local lawyer and former council member, said of the possibility of a conflict of interest. “It depends on the facts, and I’m not aware of any fact that would lead me to the conclusion that there was anything inappropriate.”

Middlekauff previously worked for three university spinoffs, including ones from Dartmouth and Yale, his most recent position. He also practiced corporate and transactional law in California, and earned his J.D. at Yale Law School and his A.B. in political science at Brown.

Middlekauff said he is passionate about finding ways to bring the innovation of the University’s labs into the marketplace.

“There are tremendously exciting, innovative and potentially life-saving technologies being developed at Princeton,” he said, adding that commercializing research can strongly benefit society and individuals.

Subscribe
Get the best of ‘the Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

One of the common challenges that he plans on addressing is establishing whether or not a set of research projects has strong commercial potential.

“There are lots of interesting scientific insights that arise in a laboratory setting that arenot necessarily ripe for product development or commercialization,” Middlekauff said.

Since the position was just established at the University, Middlekauff will be testing different strategies and identifying priorities in collaboration with the Office of Technology Licensing.

“We are very much looking to figure out what makes sense for the Princeton University entrepreneurial community,” he said.