This conference addresses the increasingly intertwined roles of universities and industry in science and technology development, with a focus on agricultural biotechnology.  Leading academic scientists, research administrators, and industry representatives will present the latest findings and experiences regarding university-industry relationships.  The program will address salient issues in the public and private sectors.

A central purpose of the conference is to identify policy options for university-industry collaborations to foster both public science and commercial technology development in agricultural biotechnologies. A facilitated exercise will draw from contributions by speakers and the audience to discover innovative public policy alternatives and industry strategies to improve the relationships.

Registration for the conference is due April 21, 2006, and can be done on-line at or by printing out a registration form and returning it with payment. Conference attendees are responsible for making their own hotel arrangements. A block of sleeping rooms is being held at the rate of $169/night plus tax single or double. To obtain the rate you must refer to the Biotech Room Block; the block will be held only until April 7.

Jurys Hotel
1500 New Hampshire Avenue NW
Washington D.C. 20036
(202) 483-6000 or (866) 534-6835

This conference is sponsored by Portland State University, Farm Foundation, Cooperative States Research, Education and Extension Service, USDA, and Economic Research Service, USDA.

Agricultural Biotechnology Research for Public Goods and Private Goods: The Roles of University-Industry Relationships will convene at 8:30 a.m. in the Doyle Ballroom at the Jurys Hotel, Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.  At the one-day event, academic scientists, research administrators, and industry representatives will present the latest findings and experiences regarding university-industry collaborations. Featured speakers include Roger Beachy, President of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, and Lawrence Busch, University Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University.

The conference is sponsored by Portland State University, Farm Foundation, USDA’s Cooperative States Research, Education and Extension Service, and USDA’s Economic Research Service.

A key outcome of the conference will be for participants to identify innovative public policies and business strategies to improve university-industry relationships for public science and commercial technology development.  The conference will also feature a poster session.  Background information on university-industry relationships in agricultural biotechnology can be found at www.agri-biotech.pdx.edu.

Conference registration is due April 21, 2006.  It can be done on-line at www.farmfoundation.org, or you can print out a registration form to complete and return.

Conference attendees are responsible for making their own hotel arrangements by calling Jurys Hotel, 1500 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington D.C., (202) 483-6000 or (866) 534-6835. A block of sleeping rooms is being held at the rate of $169/night plus tax single or double. To obtain the rate you must refer to the Biotech Room Block; the block will be held only until April 7.

This conference is part of a project supported by Initiative For Future Agriculture and Food Systems Grant No. 2001-52100-11217 from the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service.

FOR MORE INFORMATION contact:
Dave Ervin, Portland State University, (503) 725-3935
Walt Armbruster, Farm Foundation (630) 571-9393