A Makeover for a House Loaded with Memories

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Tammi Schone, South Dakota Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Rural Development, on July 29, 2013 at 11:15 AM

Nellie Buckman is the daughter of a migrant worker.  Growing up her family moved from place to place a lot.  She never really had a place to call home until her adult years when she moved into a little tiny house that was originally from Igloo, South Dakota, which incidentally  is  located on the same lot line as her current residence which was built by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD) in 1979.  Over the years, the Buckmans raised 10 children in this home.  The transition from the little small house to the HUD house was quite an experience for the family.  The HUD house was much bigger and in the beginning, the children all slept in one bedroom until they got used to having extra space.  Her children now grown, Buckman’s home continues to be a gathering place for her large family.

“I love having a place to call home, to care for, and have all of my trinkets and memories surround me,” said Nellie Buckman.

Throughout the years the house has seen its share of wear and tear – weather beaten from snow, rain, wind, and hail.  The outside structure was in desperate need of repair.  USDA Rural Development partnered with Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing in getting the application put together, Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills provided additional funds to complete the renovations to the home, and Loafer Construction of Kyle, SD was the contractor for the project.

“No more leaks in the roof, the house is now quite a bit warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, ” stated an excited Buckman.  When USDA Rural Development Housing Specialist Ruth O’Neill arrived at the home for a final inspection she stated, “I drove right by it…the house with a new metal roof and pretty pink siding.  The trees were cleaned up and everything looked so nice. It looked like a new home!”  When asked for advice to others that are looking to fix up their home,   Nellie stated, “Don’t worry about the past, look toward the future.  USDA will work you through your issues whatever they may be, they will help you fill out your application or share ideas on how to work with your credit.  I thank them for keeping my house a home.”

In South Dakota, Rural Development programs helped 1,409 families to obtain homes or preserve homeownership through making essential repairs that helped them to remain in their homes last year.

Ready-to-sign license speeds up Sandia tech transfer

Sandia Labs News Releases

July 29, 2013

Ready-to-sign license speeds up Sandia tech transfer

Share This Page

Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on linkedinShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services0

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories is building a portfolio of intellectual property (IP) that can be licensed by businesses in as little as an hour.

“This is the simplest process possible,” said Sandia business development specialist Bob Westervelt, who helped create the ready-to-sign licensing program that businesses can access on the Sandia website. “The language is clear and easy to understand. We can say, ‘Here’s the license, here are the terms. Once you and Sandia have signed it, you can start using the intellectual property.’”

Business development specialist Bob Westervelt is on the Sandia National Laboratories team that created the ready-to-sign licensing program for intellectual property. (Photo courtesy of Sandia National Laboratories) Click on the thumbnail for a high-resolution image.

Sandia’s goal is to get more of the national labs’ innovations into the hands of small businesses and entrepreneurs. Sandia has about 1,300 patents available for licensing. Westervelt said the licensing group, which works with companies of all sizes, noticed that smaller businesses often are daunted by the number of patents to search through and the complex licensing process.

Recently, the group came up with the idea of creating a standard license for certain IP it identifies as being desirable. “We look through the IP for technologies we’re surprised aren’t being used, that need more visibility and that still have a lot of time left on the patent,” Westervelt said.

Small businesses can lack the time or manpower to sift through 1,300 patents to see whether Sandia has something that might help them be more successful. “If we give them a shorter list and simplify the process, they’re more likely to notice good opportunities,” Westervelt said.

The ready-to-sign license is uncomplicated, with simplified language and pared-down terms, conditions and reporting requirements. And it costs less. “We are offering relatively small up-front fees, in the $3,000 range, and low-percentage royalties,” Westervelt said. “We don’t want to impose a financial burden on a small business that needs cash flow.”

So far eight patents qualify for the program, from a drive system for industrial applications that require high torque and low rpm to a compact spectrometer that can detect trace amounts of gases such as carbon monoxide and methane to a vehicle barrier that holds up to a powerful impact. More ready-to-sign licenses are in the pipeline, and Westervelt said the group hopes to assemble a portfolio of about 50.

“We want a manageable number that can have the most impact,” he said. “These are all technologies that no one has licensed in areas where small businesses might be able to get a foothold. A small company could take any of these licenses and run with it.”

The licenses are nonexclusive, so any number of companies can make use of a technology. “It’s not first-come first-served for the IP,” Westervelt said. “If five companies are interested in a technology, all five can license it.”

One has been signed so far. Advance Plumbing of Albuquerque licensed the Labs’ Hedgehog water-purification technology. Company President Vincent Sanchez said he signed on because of the simplicity of the licensing process.

The Hedgehog is a submersible recirculation pump with an attached filter. The water-purification technology is in Sandia National Laboratories’ ready-to-sign licensing program. (Photo courtesy of Sandia National Laboratories) Click on the thumbnail for a high-resolution image.

“This was really easy to get into,” he said. “I would not have looked at it if finding the technology and doing the agreement was a big process requiring certification and lots of financials and other reporting. I’m not in a position to do all that. If it’s easy, I can say, ‘Why not? Let’s take a look.’”

Pete Atherton, senior manager of Industry Partnerships at Sandia, said Sandia is always looking for better ways to transfer technology for the public good. “The ready-to-sign program is a new component of our initiative to make licensing Sandia’s technology easier and faster,” he said.

Ready-to-sign licenses are listed here, with options to click on a technology for information and download a PDF file with the paperwork. “You click on one link and it downloads everything you need,” Westervelt said.

Visit this website for more information on licensing and technology transfer at Sandia Labs.

---

Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin company, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies and economic competitiveness.

U.S. Army National Guard Takes Advantage of CDP Training for Their Region (ID: 67390)

Anniston, Ala., July 19, 2013 -- A group of emergency responders attending training at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) prepare to enter the CDP’s mock subway train system through a simulated street scene used in training. These responders are part of the United States Army National Guard 140th Chemical Company from Los Alamitos, Calif. The unit brought 38 soldiers to FEMA’s CDP to attend advanced-level training on handling hazardous materials. Photo by Shannon Arledge/FEMA

U.S. Army National Guard Takes Advantage of CDP Training for Their Region (ID: 67392)

Anniston, Ala., July 19, 2013 -- A soldier from the United States Army National Guard 140th Chemical Company, from Los Alamitos, Calif., decontaminates a teammate after a simulated exercise involving hazardous materials. The unit brought 38 soldiers to FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) to attend advanced-level training on handling hazardous materials. Photo by Shannon Arledge/FEMA

Home Depot Hurricane Preparedness Clinic (ID: 67397)

Neptune, N.J., July 26, 2013 -- Signage promoting a Hurricane Preparedness Clinic sponsored by Home Depot in Neptune, New Jersey on July 27, 2013. FEMA, the state, tribal and local governments, and volunteer organizations encourage communities to prepare for disasters. Photograph by Christopher Mardorf/FEMA

Home Depot Hurricane Preparedness Clinic (ID: 67394)

Neptune, N.J., July 29, 2013 -- Karen Faria, a FEMA Mitigation Specialist, speaks to a Home Depot customer at a Hurricane Preparedness Clinic sponsored by Home Depot at a Home Depot store in Neptune, New Jersey. FEMA, the state, tribal and local governments, and volunteer organizations encourage communities to prepare for disasters. Photograph by Christopher Mardorf/FEMA

Home Depot Hurricane Preparedness Clinic (ID: 67395)

Get $200 of Windows Azure free with your 1-Month TrialQuickly build, deploy & manage apps using any OS, language, or tool.>Get it now

Neptune, N.J., July 29, 2013 -- Bob Policastro, a Home Depot hardware associate, speaks to customers at a Hurricane Preparedness Clinic sponsored by Home Depot at a Home Depot store in Neptune, New Jersey. FEMA, the state, tribal and local governments, and volunteer organizations encourage communities to prepare for disasters. Photograph by Christopher Mardorf/FEMA