PHYS/MATH/ENTR 595F: Topics in Entrepreneurship for Scientists

Organizer:
Alaina G. Levine
Director of Special Projects,
College of Science
Coordinator, Professional Master’s Degree Program in Applied Science and Business
Gould-Simpson 929a
621-3374
Alaina@u.arizona.edu
http://psm.arizona.edu

Instructor: Keith Dienes
Associate Professor of Physics
Department of Physics
(520) 626-9385
dienes@physics.arizona.edu

Credit: One

Open to: Any graduate student in a scientific or engineering discipline

Number of students in class: 20 total

Summary: This course will present different topics in and aspects of entrepreneurship specifically for graduate students in science. The goals of the course are:

• to give students exposure to and understanding of the elements of the entrepreneurship process in scientific ventures to prepare them for scientific careers in industry, and/or to pursue the development of a new scientific venture

• to introduce the connection between science, scientific innovation, and business in an entrepreneurial venture, and in scientific and high technology industries overall
• to give students access to and detailed accounts from established entrepreneurs, scientists, business people, venture capitalists, intellectual property attorneys, and other industry leaders who have successfully created careers that combine science, business, and industry, or/and have been intimately involved in the scientific entrepreneurial process
• to introduce the concept of technology transfer and its role in bringing scientific innovation to commercialization
• to give students experience in “thinking like an entrepreneur” by developing and writing their own white paper (a prerequisite to a business plan)
• to give students the opportunity to learn the resources available to an entrepreneur and how to take advantage of those resources

Logistics: The first 15 minutes will be used to introduce the topic of the day, followed by a guest speaker who will address and explain the topic of the day from their point of view (like a case study).

Cross-listing: This course will be home-listed in Physics, and cross-listed in Entrepreneurship and Mathematics.

Prerequisites: Some business knowledge is presumed. Students should have taken or be currently taking B AD 510 (Business Fundamentals for Scientists), or an equivalent course. In addition, students enrolled in this course will benefit from having had some proposal writing experience.

Grades:

• Attendance and participation: 50% (sign-in sheet)
• White Paper: 40%
• Involvement in Industry Activities, Committees, and Conferences: 10%

Suggested (not required) Text: New Venture Creation: Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century by Jeffry A. Timmons and Stephen Spinelli

Perk: Each week, students are invited to join the speaker and course instructor for dinner following class. Dinner is free. Although having dinner with the speaker is not a required part of this course, students are highly encouraged to take advantage of this free and unique opportunity to network with the guest speaker.

Acknowledgement: The course instructor wishes to acknowledge the McGuire Entrepreneurship Program and the Kauffman Foundation for their generous support of this course. In addition, the course instructor is grateful to Jim Jindrick for his assistance and guidance in the development of this course. Aspects of this syllabus, including specific topic areas, are based on his syllabus for ENGR/ENTR 322.

NOTE: Class will begin on Wednesday, January 18, 2006.

Syllabus Draft

Week 1 – January 21, 2004

• What is entrepreneurship?

• The scientist as entrepreneur.

• Transitioning the mindset of a scientist to think like an entrepreneur.
• How scientists and entrepreneurs solve problems.
• The place of science and scientists in entrepreneurship.
• Why engage in entrepreneurship?
• “Doing” science in an entrepreneurship environment

  Speaker: Entrepreneur: Founder of a successful technology-based company (Mike Arnold, Modular Mining Systems)

Week 2 – January 28, 2004

• How to start a technology-based venture.
• Planning a new business venture
• What type of company should your be?
• Introduce IP and Tech Transfer
• Introduction of the White Paper Assignment

  Speaker: Jim Jindrick, Entrepreneur

Week 3 – February 4, 2004

• Business Strategies and Positioning

  Speaker: TBA

Week 4 – February 11, 2004

• Competition and Industry Analysis

  Speaker: Dave Russell, Director, Technical Strategy, IBM/Tivoli Storage Management

Week 5 – February 18, 2004

• Marketing

  Speaker: Honeywell

Week 6 – February 25, 2004

• Sales

  Speaker: TBA

Week 7 – March 3, 2004

• Operations
• Supply Chain Management
• Distribution

  Speaker: TBA

Week 8 – March 10, 2004

• Innovation
• R & D

  Speaker: R & D Director, CTO (Jim Akridge, Sion Power)

Week 9 – March 24, 2004

Special Topic: Careers in science, entrepreneurship, and industry

Speaker: TBA

Week 10 – March 31, 2004

• Intellectual Property and Tech Transfer

  Speaker: Managing Partner, Intellectual Property Law Firm

Week 11 – April 7, 2004

• Management and Organization

  Speaker: Jim Haleem, former Vice President, Motorola

Week 12 – April 14, 2004

• Finances and Funding
• Venture Capitalists, angels, loans, etc.

  Speaker: Larry Aldrich, General Partner, Valley Ventures III

Week 13 – April 21, 2004

• Special Topic: Flexibility

  Speaker: TBA

Week 14 – April 28, 2004

• Special Topic: What every entrepreneur should know

  Speaker: Kirt Gardner, Entrepreneur, Chairman of the Board, Apta Software

Week 15 – May 5, 2004

• Team Projects presentation
• Invite speakers from the semester to judge projects and award prizes