Connecting MIT Faculty to Industry

Connecting MIT Faculty to Industry

MIT Corporate Relations aids and directs companies interested in multidisciplinary involvement with the Institute. Its expert staff works with MIT senior administration, faculty, and company executives to structure and define individualized alliances that mutually benefit the company and MIT.

(Faculty Guide - PDF)

WHY MIT FACULTY ENGAGE WITH ILP

ENHANCE RESEARCH EXPOSURE AND HELP OBTAIN RESEARCH SUPPORT

 

  • Expose your expertise, research and students to business leaders around the world.
  • Learn about industry trends, and explore new avenues for industry application of your research.
  • Participate in professionally arranged/moderated meetings on campus, at company locations, or via remote conferencing.

GAIN PUBLICITY SUPPORT THROUGH ILP COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENTS

 
  • Promote your research and industry collaboration potential to over 25,000 corporate contacts around the world.
  • Develop an MIT faculty research profile with our communications team. Profiles include photo/video shoot and  and are featured on the ILP website  and in the e-newsletter "ILP News this Week."
  • Participate as a speaker at ILP-hosted conferences and webinars, raising your profile in the corporate community and  creating new networking opportunities.

CREATE RESEARCH AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

 

  • Showcase your students to ILP member companies who are eager to optimize their success a recruiting MIT graduates, and support ongoing internship opportunities as well as job offers after graduation.

EARN DISCRETIONARY FUNDS OR DEFRAY TRAVEL EXPENSES

 

  • MIT Corporate Relations (MIT-CR) allots a fixed percentage of the gross revenue received in Industrial Liaison Program membership fees directly on a pro-rata basis to the MIT faculty and staff who participate in MIT-CR contacts or activities. This is done via a revenue sharing program using a system of points (see schedule below).
  • Faculty are credited up to a maximum of 10% of a new ILP member's initial annual fee if the company joins as a result of a faculty member’s involvement. The Director of MIT-CR determines the exact amount of the finders’ fee, based on the level of active participation.
  • When faculty inform us of their travel plans and interests, Program Directors are often able to facilitate meetings at ILP member company sites convenient to their route. For a trip to be subsidized by the MIT-CR, it must be approved in advance, and a Program Director must be involved in arranging the visit with the company.

 

REVENUE SHARING POINT (RSP) AWARD TOTALS FOR ILP ACTIVITIES FOR FY26

ACTIVITIES

RSPs
Meetings, Telephone, Video  

Meeting at MIT (with faculty or research staff member, per hour)

   2

Meeting at MIT (with graduate student, per hour-points assigned to advisor)

   2
   

Video meeting / presentation (per hour)

   2

Telephone conversation (per hour)

   1

Meetings at company (half day -- non-local)

 12

Meetings at company (full day - more than 4 hours)

 24

Single Company Webinar Event

   4

Executive Research Briefing/formal presentation (at MIT)

   8

Report of on / off campus meeting with ILP member company, not arranged by OCR/ILP

   2
   
OCR-Sponsored Conference Activities  

Conference/webinar presentation (more than 45 minutes)

 12

Conference/webinar presentation (up to 45 minutes)

   8

Conference Poster Presenter

   6

International Conference event (organized by ILP - full day)

 48
   

Documents

  

Papers: recent working paper, technical memo, or technical report (not published)

   1

Expertise and research project description updates (KnowledgeBase updates)

   1

CV with publication list

   1

 

FACULTY LIAISONS

Each Industrial Program Director (PD) maintains a portfolio of company relationships for which he/she is responsible. Generally these company portfolios are geographically diverse and focused along industry/ technology lines. PDs are responsible for understanding their companies’ interests and developing activities that link those companies with the faculty most relevant.

Each PD also serves as a liaison between the OCR and one or more Schools or Departments of the Institute. Working with the Deans, PDs provide support for development projects that are School priorities (see schedule below).