(136a) Academic-Industry Sabbaticals: An Industrial Researcher’s Perspective on Sparking Innovation While Influencing Academic Education and Research

Some industrial researchers sense that academic research is drifting away from topics relevant to industry’s greatest needs and opportunities. Industrial sabbaticals, in which a company hosts a professor onsite for several months, provide an opportunity to reverse this trend. These sabbaticals can create value for the sponsoring companies in several ways, such as infusing fresh ideas into their R&D communities, strengthening relationships with professors who can influence the academic curriculum and the training of future R&D employees, and accessing the expertise and creativity of professors to address current and future challenges. Based on recent experience hosting a 9-month sabbatical, this talk will describe ways to maximize the value of an industrial sabbatical. A successful sabbatical requires careful planning, such as identifying potential projects and collaborators, securing resources and internal funding, and ensuring clear communication and alignment of expectations. Finally, the sabbatical must also facilitate knowledge transfer at the end of the visit. By hosting industrial sabbaticals, companies can benefit from the unique perspective that professors can offer while influencing those professors’ future research directions and teaching priorities.