DHAHRAN, 28 April — Members of the Founding Committee of the Saudi Society for Technology Development and Transfer (SSTDT) have intensified their planning sessions and consultations in preparation for the society to begin an active calendar and then hold board elections toward the end of the second half of 2002.
Established in April 2001, with its headquarters at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, the mission of SSTDT is to promote awareness and enhance professionalism about technology transfer, development and innovation to foster sustainable economic growth in Saudi Arabia. The goals of the society are to:
— Energize and develop scientific thinking in the area of technology development and transfer.
— Establish communication channels between society members.
— Provide scientific consultation in the area of technology development and transfer.
— Improve the scientific and professional performance of society members.
— Facilitate the exchange of scientific output and ideas related to the society’s interests between establishments and institutes inside and outside the Kingdom.
SSTDT will focus on the following integrated fields:
— Technology transfer mechanisms
— Technology absorption and localization
— Incubation and science parks (for inventors and SMEs)
— Venture and seed capital for technology development
— Strategic technology development
— Commercialization and product development
— Technology licensing
— Intellectual property rights
— Technology valuation and evaluation
— Management of R&D
— Technology competitive intelligence
— Knowledge-based economy
— Inventions and innovation strategies and policies.
SSTDT’s Founding Committee has been appointed by KFUPM’s University Council to develop a charter for the association. The committee members are: Dr. Aymen Kayal (KFUPM), Dr. Salem Al-Ghamdi (KFUPM), Abdullah Al-Subyani (Saudi Aramco), Saleh Al-Zaid (Saudi Aramco), Abdullah Al-Ghamim (Saudi Engineering Committee).
According to Kayal, SSTDT Founding Committee chairman, the association already has about 200 members and has now begun a recruitment campaign. Active membership in the society is open to professionals of any nationality, both men and women, who have a bachelor’s degree related to the society’s work. Online application for membership is available at the society’s website: www.sstdt.org.sa.
“We are very pleased to announce SSTDT’s first major event,” said Kayal. “SSTDT will hold its first National Symposium on Technology Development and Transfer at KFUPM on May 21. The symposium will be held under the patronage of KFUPM rector, Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Dukhayyil, with Dr. Hashim Al-Yamani, minister of industry and electricity, as the keynote speaker. Noted researchers and industry figures will be presenting papers. We hope for a large turnout. Complete information on the event is available at our website.”
