Kirtland AFB civilian receives Department of Defense honor

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KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico --  Patrick A. Rodriguez, director of the Technology Transfer Support Group of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate here, was recently announced the recipient of the 2007 Department of Defense George Linsteadt Technology Transfer Achievement Award.

The honor recognizes the efforts of individuals that are involved in technology transfer, as professionals, managers, technologists, principal investigators and patent attorneys, who enable technology transfer from the DOD to industry. Mr. Rodriguez, a New Mexico native, has been involved with the Air Force Research Laboratory since 1983 and has been employed as a liaison between research agencies such as the New Mexico Economic Development Department of the New Mexico Research and Development Institute and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. He is also a former Los Alamos National Laboratory employee.

As director of the technology transfer group, Mr. Rodriguez is responsible for identifying technological assets and mechanisms that are potential technology transfers to industry, developing strategies and plans to transition those technologies, aiding other Air Force and DOD organizations with technology transfer, and representing the laboratory with federal, state and local government organizations involved with transfer, utilization and commercialization of technologies.
As stated on Mr. Rodriguez's award announcement from Deputy Under Secretary of Defense John J. Kubricky, "He is being recognized for his career achievements and impact on the department's technology transfer through enabling legislation, as well as his leadership in commercializing the results of the Partnership for Optics. The proliferation of his efforts is a leading example for DOD technology transfer professionals."

Mr. Rodriguez was specifically lauded for his personal facilitation of 235 Cooperative Research and Development Agreements with a contribution to the Air Force of approximately $149 million, 11 Patent License Agreements worth $1.2 million, and 215 Educational Partnership Agreements resulting in the transfer of $34 million of used equipment from the laboratory to educational institutions.