Elsie Quaite-Randall, Ph.D., MBA

Elsie Quaite-Randall, Chief Technology Transfer Officer for Berkeley Lab’s Innovation and Partnerships Office, is a recognized expert in developing new, effective models for moving technologies from the lab to the marketplace, where they can benefit the public.

Elsie’s education and experience in scientific research, intellectual property management, technology commercialization, and startups make her uniquely qualified to innovate the field of technology transfer. Her insights into the goals and concerns of all stakeholders – from research scientists and patent attorneys to industry representatives and entrepreneurs – have enabled her to build relationships and find synergies among these diverse groups. The result: fresh, creative tools for researcher and private sector engagement melded with the best of traditional approaches to managing and commercializing IP.

Prior to the start of her technology transfer career, Elsie, who holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Biochemistry, was a molecular biologist and biochemist at Argonne and Brookhaven National Laboratories. Her interest in managing scientists’ intellectual property led her to pass the U. S. Patent Bar exam and become a Patent Agent at Argonne. Elsie also earned her MBA and later moved on to manage IP development, commercialization and marketing for Argonne’s Office of Technology Transfer. After successfully innovating IP review, licensing strategies, and private sector partnerships at Argonne National Lab, she joined McMaster University in Canada as Executive Director of the Industry Liaison Office.

At McMaster, Elsie developed and implemented a strategic plan to manage university IP and identify industry partners and licensees for lab technologies. She built relationships with local business communities and encouraged a culture of commercialization within the university. Elsie created PreInc, a pre-incubation space that supports McMaster researchers starting new companies, and was successful in obtaining investment for the Forge, a student incubator at McMaster Innovation Park. She also took a leading role in the C4 Network, a collaborative initiative with ten Ontario universities and research institutions fostering innovation and commercialization. In this role she also worked with six other universities to administer a seed fund for early stage technologies.

Now, as Berkeley Lab’s CTTO, Elsie has accepted the charge to grow researcher, industry, and entrepreneurial engagement with the goal of commercializing more of the technologies developed at this distinguished national laboratory for the public good.

1. What inspires you to work in STEM?

In my early career as a biochemist and molecular biologist, I found scientific solutions to improve food products. I saw for myself that laboratory research could change the world for the better. Today, my work protecting scientists’ intellectual property and facilitating industry partnership creates even more opportunities across a wide range of scientific fields to support developments that benefit society and add value to the marketplace.

2. What excites you about your work at the Energy Department/Berkeley Lab?

I’ve worked at Brookhaven, Argonne, and now Berkeley Lab – a total of three Department of Energy national labs. Each lab has a unique set of specialties, and yet all provide a foundation for innovation and new scientific discovery. I am a strong advocate for collaborative research at DOE labs’ unparalleled user facilities. In fact, I just returned from a presentation to the University Industry Demonstration Project about the many ways industry and research institutions can benefit from the unique expertise and instrumentation at national lab user facilities whether for drug discovery, battery development, nanofabrication, or other advancements.

3. How can our country engage more women, girls, and other underrepresented groups in STEM?

We must present STEM careers as a path to achieve nearly any goal. Whether someone wants to create a startup, understand the universe, design energy saving devices, or help people in the developing world, education in the sciences paves the way.

4. Do you have tips you would recommend for someone looking to enter your field of work?

There’s no replacement for hard work, education, and experience. If you’re interested in a field, find mentors, internships, and other opportunities to work alongside the professionals to learn what’s expected. Take classes to grow your knowledge base, and accept new challenges. The most respected people in any field are those who’ve done the work and know what they’re talking about.

5. When you have free time, what are your hobbies?

I enjoy photography, scuba diving, sailing, and cooking gourmet meals with my husband, Kevin.