Clarkson, Procter & Gamble sign master agreement for collaborations

POTSDAM — Some of the research coming out of Clarkson University may make its way into consumer projects more quickly — thanks to an agreement with pharmaceutical giant Procter & Gamble Co.

The two signed a master agreement last month to set the terms for all research and development collaborations. It resolves such issues as intellectual property rights for future partnerships. Previously, the legal terms for a project had to be set individually before any research could begin.

"That's not necessarily the most efficient way to get research out," said Kelly O. Chezum, Clarkson's vice president for external relations. "It takes away all the paperwork. It's all very spelled out. It's very standard."

Clarkson and P&G have been working together since 2004 to develop nanomaterials for skin and health-care products — usually two or three a year — through the Center for Advanced Materials Processing. Each legal agreement took anywhere from a few days to a few months to sign.

Without the standard agreement, if there were changes to research projects or unexpected developments, university and P&G officials would have to go back to the terms to ensure that work could continue along a different avenue, according to Ms. Chezum.

"Sometimes, that's where the best information comes from — taking a left turn instead of a right turn," she said. "It allows that kind of dialogue to flourish."

Clarkson and Ohio State University are the only two universities to have master agreements in place with P&G, according to Ms. Chezum. P&G officials did not return calls seeking comment.

The agreement may help Clarkson get more research grants with the corporation.

"If you know going in that you have a short timeline, you're going to look to a school where you have this type of agreement," Ms. Chezum said. "I would think this would help us get more research collaborations going."