Berkeley Micro/NanoLab Affiliate Members Program: A Critical Component of Laboratory Growth and Stability

In fiscal year 1995, the Berkeley Microlab formalized access to the university laboratory cleanroom and use of the lab´s micro/nano-fabrication academic research equipment by industrial researchers. The system wide bureaucratic coordination to establish this program was significant. Input, review and final approval from multiple campus offices was required to address contract administration, recharge and overhead rates, intellectual property policies, and workers compensation and university liability issues. The return on investment of this program cannot be overstated. Since program inception over $7.7M of recharge revenue has been generated representing on average 20% of the Laboratory´s annual operations budget. Critical to the faculty support of the program is management evaluation of all materials and processes planned by commercial researchers and the commitment to reject any application that risks or interferes with academic research priorities. The compensation to faculty have been stable recharge rates, a well-defined path for startup companies and a discretionary fund that enables infrastructure and equipment upgrades and funded a majority of the transition to our new laboratory. This affiliate program is not linked to the NNIN.