Ms. Kristin Gray Named Head of APL's Technology Transfer Office

Ms. Kristin Gray is the new head of the Office of Technology Transfer at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), in Laurel, Md. She succeeds Mr. Wayne Swann, the office's first director, who recently stepped down in preparation for retirement early next year.

"Gray is a technology transfer expert with 15 years of experience in the field," Swann says. "I know she'll bring a fresh perspective to our program, and I'm certain it will grow under her stewardship."

Gray is part of the original team who helped Swann establish the office in 1999. Since that time, APL's Office of Technology Transfer's totals reflect 906 inventions disclosed, 179 U.S. patents issued, and they've filed 1,120 U.S. patent applications, executed 175 license agreements, and created 16 new companies, many of which reside within Howard County. They've brought in more than $26 million in licensing and related research and development income — income that's shared between inventors, their departments, the APL Development Fund and JHU to help further R&D and continue the technology transfer cycle.

"APL has a wealth of quality technologies in a broad spectrum of physical and information science disciplines," Gray says. "Our office helps APL staff transfer technologies developed here to business and industry to benefit the public, foster economic development, and benefit the Johns Hopkins University.

"We've been quite successful under Swann's leadership," Gray says, "and I look forward to building on the foundation he created."

Prior to her recent appointment, Gray was the Lab's assistant director for Technology Transfer, and has been with the office since it opened. Before coming to APL, she worked at the University of Maryland's technology transfer office for eight years.

Gray holds a B.A. in Sociology-based Human Relations from Connecticut College. She is a member of the Licensing Executives Society and the Association of University Technology Managers. In 2004 she was recognized by the Baltimore Business Journal as a "Top 40 Under 40" community business leader contributing to Maryland's economic development. She lives in Kensington, Md., with her husband Jeff.