Corporate Portal

The Office of Corporate Partnerships and Regional Economic Development serves as a bridge between business/industry and the university on behalf of the Office of Vice President for Research and Partnerships, as described in the Lead On strategic plan (Pillar 5, Strategy 1, Tactic 6): Create new Office of Corporate Partnerships to lead the effort to grow strategic research partnerships with private sector and philanthropies. The establishment of this office within OVPRP indicates the importance of industry-sponsored projects to help solve the most pressing problems and to explore promising opportunities through research endeavors.

OCP is a central point of contact for companies to connect with researchers and resources at all schools and colleges on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus. OCP facilitates the initial connection and continues to manage corporate relationships on an ongoing basis.

OCP serves as a resource for our internal and external partners and works closely with Office of Research Services, Office of Legal Counsel, and Office of Technology Commercialization to negotiate and execute the agreements necessary to partner. Our goal is to streamline the process to make collaboration easy!

Contact Us

Joyce Burch
Director, Corporate Partnerships and Regional Economic Development

Email: jburch@ou.edu

Intellectual Property Options for Corporate Sponsored Research

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For Companies:

OCP is the central point of contact between companies of all sizes and faculty/researchers, and manages productive partnerships by leveraging OU’s world-class research talent to help industry solve their most pressing problems and opportunities.

Please contact OCP to begin a discussion about partnering with the University of Oklahoma. We are responsive, collaborative, and look for mutually beneficial ways to partner.

New! Intellectual Property Options for Corporate Sponsored Research

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For Faculty:

OCP can assist faculty by facilitating networking opportunities with industry, helping with private industry related requests, and managing the resulting relationships. Please contact OCP if you have any questions about connecting with industry, any type of legal agreements, if you would like to offer corporate partners a tour, or have questions about the business community.

Economic Development:

OCP works with area Economic Development Organizations (EDOs) to assist in recruiting new companies to the state. A primary consideration in deciding where to locate a facility is availability of talent. Our office can offer prospective companies information on the curriculum for specific majors, the talent pipeline, and research strengths. The presence of a major research university with talented researchers and potential recruits can sway a company to locate in the region, and a relationship can be established before the company locates in Oklahoma!

About the University Research Campus

OCP is also the point of contact for companies wanting to establish a presence near our faculty and students at University Research Campus (URC). URC is a 277- acre world class collaborative campus environment with partners engaged in academic and private sector research, commerce, and service that leads to social, economic, and academic advancement – improving the global quality of life. Founded in 2003, the URC is home to private companies, academic and research departments and agencies, more than 700 private sector employees, more than 300 Federal employees, and nearly 2000 people who make up what is an award-winning and nationally recognized University Research Campus. The campus focuses on advanced technology across many disciplines, with a strong focus on weather and radar, as home to the National Weather Center and Radar Innovations Lab. The campus has grown from the initial investment in the Stephenson Technology Research Center to include the construction of the National Weather Center, five partner buildings housing private and public entities, the Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center, the Radar Innovations Lab, and new development plans underway.

In the News

Weathernews, Inc. Receives Oklahoma State Regents Business Partnership Excellence Award

The Oklahoma State Regents held its annual Regents Business Partnership Excellence Award ceremony to recognize success partnerships between businesses and 27 Oklahoma colleges and universities. The Regents recognized Weathernews, Inc., nominated by Bob Palmer and Berrien Moore, for their long-term partnership with OU. Daisuke Abe flew in from Japan to accept the award on behalf of the WNI team.

March 26, 2024

Pictured left to right: Charles Rice, Joyce Burch, Isabel Nierwinski, Daniel Baker, Rebecca New, Ben Ikard, Tom Wavering, Farid Talebnia Rowshan, and Nicholete Davis.

OU Representatives Attend Southwest Regional Meeting of American Chemical Society

OU faculty and staff attended the Bio Symposium at the Southwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society’s annual conference on Nov. 17, 2023. The panel discussion included core participants of the Oklahoma Biotech Innovation Cluster of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge. The discussion featured Oklahoma’s life sciences sector.

November 29, 2023

Blog: OU Engineering’s Role in Shaping Future Bioprocessing Experts

Cytovance Biologics, Wheeler Bio and the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma recently joined forces in a collaborative panel discussion focused on the field of bioprocessing.

October 27, 2023

OU Celebrates Air Force Partner Achievement

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships, the Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Innovation Institute and the Office of Innovation and Corporate Partnerships celebrate the Air Force Sustainment Command’s official launch its new Software Directorate. Headquartered at Tinker Air Force Base, the Software Directorate will take the Software Engineering Groups from Tinker AFB, Hill AFB, and Robins AFB, and join the three under one umbrella for a single source of organic software engineering capability.

October 3, 2023

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People

Joyce Burch
Director of the Office of Corporate Partnerships and Regional Economic Development

Joyce Burch is the Director of the Office of Corporate Partnerships and Regional Economic Development. Joyce has been with OU for three years, starting in the Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Division in Price College as the Director of Public/Private Partnerships, and also served as Project Manager for the establishment of the Executive MBA in Aerospace & Defense. She assembled the Aerospace & Defense Industry Roundtable, composed of local A&D companies and organizations. The A&D Industry Roundtable advised the university on the requirements and needs of industry and helped to craft the curriculum. Roundtable advisors included leaders from Acorn Growth Companies, Boeing, Tinker AFB, FAA, Northrup Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, Delaware Resource Group, Flight Safety, Kratos, and others.

Joyce has 15 years of Economic Development experience and believes that OU’s healthy relationships with industry are beneficial to both the university and the economic growth of the state.