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Techno-Nationalism and the Construction of University Technology Transfer

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Abstract

Our historical study of Canada’s main research university illuminates the overlooked influence of national identities and interests as forces shaping the institutionalization of technology transfer. Through the use of archival sources we trace the rise and influence of Canadian technological nationalism—a response to Canada’s perceived dependency on the United States’ science and technology. Technological nationalism provided a symbol for producing a shared understanding of the desirability and appropriateness of technology transfer that legitimated the commercial activities of university scientists.

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Notes

  1. Letter, Defries (director) to Board of Governors, June 6, 1939, p. 32, A1970-0024/027, University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  2. Fisher to Ireton, 9 Jan. 1961, A1975-0004/006. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  3. Meeting Minutes, Board of Governors, June 25, 1959, p. 184, A1978-0006/004. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto. The committee was to define a general policy governing the interest of the university in discoveries made by its staff members and “to recommend the means for providing advice on patent procedures, servicing and financing projects deemed to be patentable and arranging for licensing and receipt of royalties.” First Report, Advisory Committee on Patents, 1959, A1973-0025/008, University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  4. Meeting Notes, Scientific Development Committee, 1964, A1973-0025/040, file: Board Committees – SDC –meetings 1964–1965/ University patent policy. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  5. Policy on Discoveries and Inventions, Scientific Development Committee, 1961, A1973-0025/040, file: Board Committees – SDC –Policy on Discoveries and inventions. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  6. Ibid.

  7. Papers, Research Board, 1976, A1980-0023/007. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  8. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, 1965, A1975-0004/023, file: Corr. Of G. de B. Robinson, Oct.–Nov. 1965. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  9. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, September 27, 1972, A2004-0007/012, file: Milles Townsend. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  10. Letter, Annis to Robinson, April 24, 1967, A1975-0004/006. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  11. CPDL Agreement, January 26, 1967, p. 233, A1979-0012. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  12. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, October 20, 1970, A2004-0007/003, file: Etkin/Goering. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  13. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, 1969, A1975-0004/006, file: patents 1969–1971. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  14. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, 1969, A2004-0007/001, file: Balmain, University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto; This practice is elaborated in the minutes from a meeting of the Patent Committee: “In granting a non-exclusive license the University has sometimes made a practice of giving a letter saying that it is the intention of the University to grant no more licenses. This will give the licensee assurance that if a good job is done there will be no other license granted but retain to the university the right to grant other licenses if it wishes.” Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, 1969, A1975-0004/006, file: patents 1969–1971.

  15. Letter, Locke to Patent Committee, April 13, 1973, A2004-0007/008, file: Litherland, University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  16. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, April 16, 1973, A2004-0007/008, file: Litherland. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  17. Letter, University of Toronto to General Manager of Canadian Patents and Development Limited, February 1, 1972, A1975-0004/006. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  18. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, July 3, 1968, A2004-0007/001, file: Brewer. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  19. Letter, Adamson to Woodhams, n.d., A2004-007/13, file: Woodhams R.T., Xanthos. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  20. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, July 3, 1968, A2004-0007/001, file: Balmain. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  21. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, January 30, 1967, A1975-0004/00, file: Esso Invention. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  22. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, December 11, 1975, A2004-007/006, file: Hewitt & Slobodian. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  23. Report, Patent Committee Review Task Force, 1977, A1980-0023/007. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  24. Letter, Clark to Litherland, December 22, 1977, A2004-0007/008, file: Litherland. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  25. Letter, Rosser to Robinson, June 23, 1967, A1975-0004/006/file: Dr. Guillet, University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  26. Letter, Ferguson to Brent, October 31, 1968, B1994-0010/003, file: .003. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  27. Ibid.

  28. Meeting Minutes, Scientific Development Committee, August 4, 1964, A73-0025/040, file: Board Committees – SDC –meetings 1964–1965. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  29. Letter, Clark to Connell, March 24, 1977, A1980-0023/007, University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  30. Proposal, Industrial Research and Innovation Centres, 1977, A1982-0007/009, file: Research-Industrial Research and Innovation Centres, 77–78, University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  31. Minutes from a Special Research Board Meeting note that, “The President [of the university] indicated he is sympathetic to the issue of being responsive to the development of innovative industry, particularly if the Government offers tax incentives and funding to universities to help them become involved. To the extent that the Federal Government makes real its proposals, the University of Toronto as an institution should be responsive, particularly in terms of industrial interface, to the best of its ability.” Minutes, Special Research Board Meeting, 19 Sept. 1978, A1982-0007-009, File: Research Board. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  32. Report, Patent Committee Review Task Force, 1977, A1980-0023/007. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  33. Ibid.

  34. Meeting Minutes, Research Board, March 30, 1976, A1979-0025/019, file: Research Board ’75–6. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  35. Invention Development Corporation Draft Proposal IV, Research Board, December 18, 1975, A1979-0025/019, Research Board –executive -75–76. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  36. Research Board Report: The Concept of An Inventions Foundation, March 30, 1976, A1979-0025/019. Research Board ’75–6. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  37. Ibid.

  38. Invention Development Corporation Draft Proposal IV, Research Board, December 18, 1975, A1979-0025/019.

  39. Letter, LeRoy. 22 March 1971. A1975-0004/31, file: .002. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  40. Ibid.

  41. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, April 7, 1975, A2004-0007/13, file: Professor H.L. Williams. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  42. Meeting Minutes, Patent Committee, December 11, 1975, A2004-0007/010, file: Jorgensen. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  43. Letter, Eastman to Slemon, 1975, A1979-0025/010, file: Research Board –executive –75–76. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  44. Meeting Minutes, Board of Governors, 1923, p. 165, A1970-0024/018. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  45. Report, Patent Committee Review Task Force, 1977, A1980-0023/007. University of Toronto Archives, University of Toronto.

  46. Ibid.

  47. University of Toronto Office of Research Administration. 1977. Inventions Handbook.

  48. Responses are from a total 84 faculty members from within the Departments of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cell and Systems Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Physics. Unpublished report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Leadership, Higher, and Adult Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M4Y 1R6, Canada

    Creso Sá, Andrew Kretz & Kristjan Sigurdson

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  1. Creso Sá
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Correspondence to Creso Sá.

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Sá, C., Kretz, A. & Sigurdson, K. Techno-Nationalism and the Construction of University Technology Transfer. Minerva 51, 443–464 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11024-013-9242-x

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