Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) associate professor and Jack R. and Carol A. Johnson Faculty Fellow Nigel Reuel served as a witness in recent U.S. congressional testimony.
Reuel was invited to share his experiences working with the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program in translating federally funded research into commercial development, generating new economic growth, as well as in assisting federal science agencies in meeting their respective missions.
The testimony was presented as part of the House Subcommittee on Research and Technology Hearing “SBIR Turns 40: Evaluating Support for Small Business Innovation.”
During his testimony Reuel employed a Midwestern slant and used the analogy of a seed needing nurturing to grow being similar to assistance offered by the two small business programs and how they have benefited the three businesses he has launched. He also participated in a Q&A session following the witness testimony.
You can view a video of the online witness testimony and Q&A session (Reuel’s testimony begins at 58:27).
SBIR program governmental authorization expires at the end of the current fiscal year, after having been extended five years without a comprehensive review of policy. The America COMPETES Act contains a provision to extend the program again for five years without policy changes. Proponents have been lobbying to ensure passage of the legislation.