The commercialization of faculty inventions—known as technology transfer—is fast becoming part of the bottom line in academe as research universities pursue potential riches from patents, licenses, and spinoff companies, according to the Austin American-Statesman. At Texas A&M University, for instance, faculty members’ patents and the commercialization of their research can be considered in tenure decisions (The Chronicle, June 9).

Tenure may be a quality lacking among top technology-transfer administrators, however, as recent news reports have disclosed that leadership changes in those offices are under way at two big academic players in research and patenting activity.

Jill Tarzian Sorensen, who was brought in last year as part of the Johns Hopkins University’s efforts to revamp its commercialization efforts, has resigned after 18 months as an associate provost and director of the university’s technology-transfer office, according to The Sun, in Baltimore.

And Robert Barnhill, vice chancellor for research and technology transfer at the University of Texas System, announced earlier this month that he would resign, effective December 1, the Austin Business Journal reported.

Ms. Sorensen, whose resignation was effective October 9, said that she was stepping down because her work as a “change agent” at the university was essentially done. Johns Hopkins—a leader in obtaining research support—began a shake-up of its technology-transfer operations in 2004 designed in part to make its licensing efforts more lucrative (The Chronicle, January 14, 2005).

Mark G. Yudof, the Texas system’s chancellor, praised Mr. Barnhill “for the contributions he has made in building the research and technology-transfer office and recruiting a high-quality staff.”