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Frequently Asked Questions (Answered)
Do you have a question about the Technology Transfer Program or its activities? Ask webmaster@techtransfer.berkeley.edu and we'll get back to you with an answer within 3 business days. How long has this program been around? The Technology Transfer Program, part of the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) at the University of California, was established in 1948 by the California Legislature to "extend" highway research generated at ITS to the California workers who designed, built, and maintained the state's transportation system. From 1948 to 1996, this unit was known as "ITS Extension." In 1996 we were restructured and became known as the ITS Technology Transfer Program, signaling development of a broader range of activities and closer links with the research program at ITS. Where does the money to support Tech Transfer come from?Tech Transfer is a self-supporting unit of the University of California Berkeley. Our unit is supported by grants, contracts, and fees from program participants. The annual budget exceeds $3 million, almost half of that funding is in various contracts managed by Caltrans (California Dept. of Transportation). One-third of the unit's budget is generated by participant fees for conferences and training. Other major funding sources include California's Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs), the California Office of Traffic Safety, and the Federal Highway Administration. Is Tech Transfer a Caltrans project?No. Tech Transfer is an operational unit of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California Berkeley. About half the budget of the unit is funded by various Cooperative Agreements with divisions of Caltrans (California Dept. of Transportation). The rest comes from different sources. Caltrans, however, plays an important role at Tech Transfer and we are grateful for their continued support and encouragement. What technologies does Tech Transfer emphasize?Tech Transfer's training, technical assistance, and information services cover a broad range of transportation technologies including advanced pavement practices, operational and productivity models, traffic signals, intelligent transportation systems, and new planning methodologies and practices such as "context sensitive solutions," and safety. In addition, Tech Transfer's training program emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation of basic transportation understanding and practical skill in engineering, planning, project management and policy. Is Tech Transfer the same program as ITS Extension?Yes and no. ITS Extension morphed into the ITS Technology Transfer Program in 1996.
Tech Transfer is a major division of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California Berkeley. Other major divisions are PATH (Partners in Advanced Highway and Transit), the Pavement Research Center, the Center for Commercialization of ITS Technologies (CCIT), the Harmer E. Davis Transportation Library, and the National Center of Excellence for Operations Research (NEXTOR). Is Tech Transfer part of PATH?No. Tech Transfer, like PATH (Partners in Advanced Highway and Transit), is a major unit of the University of California Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies. Tech Transfer may partner with PATH on projects designed to support application of PATH research through conferences, training, information services, or technical assistance. How can I get on or off your mailing list or update my mailing information?It's easy to get on our mailing list, update your mailing information, remove your name or change your subscription preferences. If you are not on our mailing list and have not registered for a class, you need to click on the "Get an ID" button at the bottom of this page. To update your mailing information, remove your name or change your subscription preferences, log in here. When do you offer courses in my city?When is the training calendar developed? To find out whether a particular class is currently scheduled in or near your city, click here. If you would like to discuss how your agency can sponsor a special home-delivery of a particular Tech Transfer class, please contact Michele Cushnie, the Manager of Instructional Delivery. Do you grant degrees?No. The Technology Transfer Program is not a degree granting department at the University, nor is the Institute of Transportation Studies. ITS is a research unit, involving faculty and students across the university. Transportation concentrations are offered through the University of California Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. How do you decide which training courses to develop and deliver?How can I propose a new course? You can discuss ideas for a new training class or assistance topic with Ted Chira-Chavala, Manager of Instructional Development. Who teaches your courses?Can anyone teach a course? The instructional faculty of the Technology Transfer Program includes more than 60 of California's leading transportation engineers, planners, and academicians working in California and elsewhere. If you would like to teach in our program and believe you are qualified, please submit a complete resume and letter of interest stating your areas of expertise and experience as a trainer to Ted Chira-Chavala, Manager of Instructional Development. Recruitment is on-going. Why do California public transportation agency staff get reduced training fees?California's public transportation agency staff receive discounts on Cooperative Training Assistance Program (CTAP) sponsored training in recognition for the up-front support for the development and delivery of training from Caltrans (California Dept. of Transportation) and the Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs). Private industry, out-of-state professionals, as well as Federal employees and California public employees not working for a transportation agency are very welcome in our training classes, but are asked to pay full fee for training. It's only fair. What is California LTAP?The Local Technical Assistance Program, or LTAP, is a project described in the Federal Transportation Act and managed by the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). LTAP began as RTAP, the rural transportation assistance program, in 1983. It has also sometimes called T2, or T-squared, program (for "technology transfer"). Today there is an LTAP center in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. In 1992 Congress also established Tribal Technical Assistance Programs (TTAPs) with support from both US DOT and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Tech Transfer Program administers the California-LTAP Center, which was one of the first LTAPs established in the United States. What is CTAP?The Cooperative Training Assistance Program, or CTAP, was conceived around 1989 by a group of County Engineers in conjunction with the state's City-County-State-and-Federal Coordinating Committee to pool their training dollars and improve access for their staff to core professional training. Today, California's 47 RTPAs support CTAP at levels based on population. Their dollars are matched by Caltrans Division of Local Assistance and used to fund a Cooperative Agreement with the University of California to develop and deliver low-cost short-course training targeted for public agencies at locations throughout the state. CTAP provides California's public agencies with more than 150 days of short course training annually at locations throughout California. What do you mean by "technology transfer"?Broadly, "technology transfer" refers to a facilitated conscious process of adapting a technology developed in one context (industry, culture) for another. It is a change management process that involves definite stages including
The process of technology transfer is usually iterative, collaborative, and complex. It requires users to acquire new information and skills and change old habits and ways of doing things. It often requires changes in the technology being transferred, to improve its "fit" with new situations. Technologies may transfer from country to country, from industry to industry, or from research lab to field application. The ITS Technology Transfer program facilitates the adoption and use of research and innovation developed in the lab or at a test site by professional transportation practice, and includes emphasis on the importance of two way communication between researcher and practitioner in the development of new tools, equipment, and methods that meet the real world needs of the transportation community. Do you have internships?There are no student internships at the present time with the Technology Transfer Program. If your company is interested in supporting such a project, please contact the Technology Transfer Program. Will this program help me commercialize new technologies?No. Assistance for Berkeley researchers with patents and licensing of their research products and inventions is handled by the Office of Technology Licensing (OTL) at the University of California Berkeley. The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) within the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) provides a system wide access point for industry and researchers seeking partner relations.
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