Nanotechnology and other emerging technologies

My work at CNS-UCSB and collaborations with STIP at Georgia Tech involve the investigation of emerging technologies with focus on nanotechnologies—technologies derived from the manipulation of matter on the nanometer scale (1-100 nm). My work includes, among others projects, comparative studies of national policies aimed at promoting nanotechnology research, development and commercialization and the investigation of corporate strategies for research, development and commercialization.

Inducement prizes and other innovation incentives

I have investigated innovation prizes and, more generally, unconventional incentives for innovation, since 2008. My research on prizes started with my doctoral dissertation project that investigated cases of recent prizes in the aerospace industry sector. I have also investigated prizes in the defense sector. You may find a number of publications by me on this topic, including my recent book "Technological Innovation and Prize Incentives. The Google Lunar X Prize and Other Aerospace Competitions."

Big data and bibliometric and patent analysis

My research draws significantly on bibliometric and patent analysis to investigate a number of phenomena related to science, technology and innovation topics. “Patent overlay mapping: visualizing technological distance” is a great example. A broad range of methods and techniques are used, including statistical and network analysis. This also involves the creation and development of big databases and the development of algorithms and software programs to integrate tools for text mining, network analysis and visualization.

Other science, technology and innovation projects

I generally am involved in a number of other more diverse projects as well. For example, I am working on new research outputs on knowledge acquisition and dissemination flows between industry sectors in the economy of Malaysia to inform sectoral policies for a more competitive 21st century economy. I also am exploring new methods and techniques to measure innovation activity through the analysis of scientific publication and patent documents and other means as well.

Selected publications:

Rogers, Juan; Youtie, Jan; Kay, Luciano (2012). "Program Level Assessment of Research Centers: Contribution of Nano-Science and Engineering Centers (NSEC) to US Nanotechnology National Initiative (NNI) Goals." Research Evaluation, 21, 5, 368-380 [link]

Kay, Luciano (2012). "Opportunities and Challenges in the Use of Innovation Prizes as a Government Policy Instrument." Minerva, 50, 2, 191-196 [link]

Kay, Luciano; Newman, Nils; Youtie, Jan; Porter, Alan; Rafols, Ismael (2014). "Patent overlay mapping: Visualizing technological distance." Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, Online first [link]

Youtie, Jan; Kay, Luciano; Melkers, Julia (2013). "Bibliographic coupling and network analysis to assess knowledge coalescence in a research center environment." Research Evaluation, Online first [link]