Bob Cochnar

A Little of This, A Little of That

Editor's Note

August / September 2007 By: Bob Cochnar Volume 5 Number 4

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As Innovation readers know, for each issue we try to develop a concentration on an area—venture capitalists like to call it a "space"—in which government energy laboratories and other institutions are conducting substantial research. Our purpose is to let readers know about interesting technologies that, one day, might find a place in the commercial marketplace.

Over the years (we're now in our fifth year of publication) we've invited contributions on such topics as homeland security, robotics, "green" technology including clean energy, the life sciences and the environment, among others.

Other themes, which depend on contributions from other sources, include innovation, disruptive technologies, investment opportunities and strategies for entrepreneurs.

Since our readers include researchers, scientists, academics, engineers, investors, entrepreneurs and government officials, we make an effort to offer up an interesting and useful mix of information.

Every once in a while, however, we invite our laboratory contributors to submit articles that aren't attached to a theme we provide. They are instead reports on areas of research in which the labs are especially interested—but always with potential for commercialization. This issue falls into the potpourri category.

And so, for example, we didn't ask Sandia, Lawrence Livermore and the National Renewable Energy labs to write about their research into vehicles powered by hydrogen and electricity, but each was sufficiently excited about the subject to share its findings. The articles, which carry the title, "After the Prius," begin on Page 17.

Other pieces run the gamut from the amazing properties of boric acid (microscopic particles can increase energy efficiency) to new technology that helps clean up drinking water.

To this mix we've added a fascinating piece on the future of plasmas, an article on how to handle employees and an account of successful technology transfers, as recorded by the Federal Laboratory Consortium. And more.

We've also introduced a new department, "Books Worth Reading", in which Rolf Dobelli, chairman of getAbstract, a provider of business book summaries, offers recommendations.

In the next issue, we're returning to a theme we've used before (February-March 2005) and that's the exciting realm of nanotechnology, in which many of our national laboratories are heavily engaged. Not coincidentally, the issue advances the Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Forum titled "Markets and Molecules: Investing the Future. Investing in Nanotech." It's set for December 10-11 in Albuquerque and has an impressive list of host partners: The Center for Integrative Nanotechnologies, the City of Albuquerque, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Lockheed Martin Corporation and the Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories. Host sponsor is Technology Ventures Corporation, publisher of Innovation. For details, go to www.forbesconferences.com/nanotech.

We're tooting our own horn just a little on the inside back cover of this issue. Seems we picked up seven Hermes Creative Awards in the annual competition organized by the Association of Marketing Communications Professionals. We're delighted.