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On July 15th, Lehigh University hosted the seventh event of its Research Translation AcceLUrator (RTA) Bootcamp, featuring Dr. Mike Lehman, Director of Technical Entrepreneurship and senior RTA personnel. Technical Entrepreneurship is a cross-disciplinary program that trains students in both technical product development and entrepreneurial venture creation. Drawing on that experience, Lehman spoke with fellows about technical entrepreneurship, the STMP model, and the SCAMPER technique.
Dr. Lehman first shared resources adapted from the Technical Entrepreneurship curriculum with the interns. He highlighted that many corporations are willing to buy and adopt new innovations, but often lose interest once the novelty wears off. This means that researchers must remember to appeal to stakeholders throughout the whole process. Delving further, he recommended two books – “Talking to Humans” and “Testing with Humans,” by Giff Constable – that focus on accelerating research translation by interviewing customers and testing product-market fit.
Dr. Lehman then introduced the STMP chart—Scientific discovery, Technology, Market, and Product—highlighting how researchers must think beyond feasibility and imagine multiple pathways for innovation. Using the example of mussels’ natural waterproof adhesive, he asked fellows to brainstorm potential technologies, markets, and products before revealing the real-world applications developed by Mussel Polymers, from ship repair and coral restoration to dental fillings and even tissue glue.
He walked through other cases, including Sharklet, a shark-skin–inspired antibacterial material that evolved from yoga mats to medical devices, and Blue Belt Technologies, which transformed robotic ice-sculpting tools into surgical drills. These examples demonstrated how a single discovery can spark diverse products and industries.
Lehman closed with the SCAMPER technique, a framework defined by the actions, Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse. Fellows practiced applying the method to their research and considered how even simple ideas could expand into larger innovations.
He encouraged them to cast their nets wide, reminding the group that research was not the end but the beginning. As one of his former students reflected, “I used to think research was the end, but now I realize research is only the beginning.”