Rafael C. Gonzalez received the B.S.E.E. degree from the University of Miami in 1965 and the M.E. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Florida, Gainesville, in 1967 and 1970, respectively. He joined the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) in 1970, where he became Associate Professor in 1973, Professor in 1978, and Distinguished Service Professor in 1984. He served as Chairman of the department from 1994 through 1997. He is currently a Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UTK. He also founded Perceptics Corporation in 1982 and was its president until 1992. Gonzalez is author or co-author of over 100 technical articles, two edited books, and four textbooks in the fields of pattern recognition, image processing, and robotics. His books are used in over 500 universities and research institutions throughout the world.

This presentation focuses on factors that play a fundamental role in determining the success of commercializing research in the field of imaging technologies. Emphasis is placed on the peculiarities of academic research, and how they modify well-known guidelines for successful commercialization. Areas covered include:

A brief history and perspective of the field.
Early steps that can have a profound influence on how academic research evolves into a successful commercial venture.
The mechanics of conducting research projects with an eye toward eventual commercialization.
A discussion of how commercialization actually leads to additional fundamental research and publications.
The dynamics of conducting a commercial venture in a university setting.
The talk concludes with case studies of failure and success in commercial ventures that grew out of fundamental research.