What Can SPIR Do for You?

Organize and manage technology-based projects

SPIR and Watson School faculty representatives will meet with you to learn more about your needs so that a project team can be assembled to accomplish the work. A formal project proposal is created to clearly state outcomes and a schedule of key events. Periodic checkpoint meetings are called to review progress and address problems.

Provide student and faculty resources

Every SPIR project has a Faculty Advisor/Mentor assigned to oversee a student selected on the basis of specific skills needed to best perform the project work. The student is generally a "degreed" professional, currently pursuing a Masters or Doctoral level degree.

Perform a wide variety of technology-based work

Projects typically deal with just about any problem-solving task normally handled by application of engineering, information technology or System Science disciplines. Thermal or vibration/shock testing, manufacturing process definition or tune-up, finite element modeling and analysis (FEM/FEA) and a wide variety of programming and other information technology services are just a few typical SPIR work tasks.

In addition to problem-solving services, SPIR provides resources to assist small company entrepreneurs in developing their unique product or service concept into a "demonstration" or "prototype" level suitable for attracting venture capital or licensing agreements.

Act as an "engineering extension" to your company

The Watson School SPIR team works best when treated like employees. You should consider us as part of your technology team with a task and schedule that requires our mutual collaboration and cooperation. This works !

Provide project cost-sharing assistance

SPIR works with you to define an affordable funding arrangement to cover project costs. SPIR can underwrite a significant portion of costs based on company size and financial resources and stability.