Assessing the current Technology Readiness Level (TRL)* [See Figure 6] of current research projects at UTSA allows leadership and researchers to understand where they can be competitive for federal funding, specifically with agencies such as the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and, in many cases, private-sector industries linked to the federal government. Understanding where current research programs stand in the TRL (basic, applied, advanced or operational) will assist decision makers in devising strategies to pursue and be competitive for funding through the aforementioned agencies. Additional efforts should target expanding the federal funding portfolio through non-traditional partnerships under mechanisms that have the potential to increase research expenditure growth (e.g., Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA), Consortium Membership, and Software Agreements).
Source: *Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Technology Readiness Assessment Guide (DoD, 2011). [http://www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/publications/docs/TRA2011.pdf] First published in Accelerate 2025.
