Damon Diehl
Author's posts
Jan 16
DOE SBIR/STTR “Phase 0” Proposal Preparation Tutorial
Dawnbreaker(R) is a Rochester-area commercialization-assistance business with a national reach. Dawnbreaker is known for the many programs it has developed that assist small businesses in navigating the Federal SBIR/STTR program. The Department of Energy contracted Dawnbreaker to develop a “Phase 0” tutorial website for crafting successful Phase I SBIR/STTR proposals.The site features a thorough step-by-step process that applies to …
Feb 09
New NSF program: Enhancing Access to the Radio Spectrum (EARS), Addressing Future Challenges
The National Science Foundation’s Directorates for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Engineering (ENG), and Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) are coordinating efforts to identify bold new concepts with the potential to contribute towards significant improvements in efficiency of radio spectrum utilization, protection of passive sensing services, and enabling traditionally underserved Americans to benefit from …
Dec 11
Back in the Saddle
DIEHL RGS has my full attention once again. I’ve been slowly ramping up since October, and I expect to be fully operational by January. Thanks to everyone who helped get me back on the horse.
Mar 24
Designing a Better Boss
I’m hoping to start blogging here again, now that I’ve mostly settled into my academic job. In the mean time, here is a cross-post for an article that I just wrote for the Optical Society of America’s “Bright Futures” blog, entitled “Designing a Better Boss: Applying a Consultant’s Mindset to an Academic Job.”
Jun 08
Free SBIR Workshop at High Tech Rochester
Sorry for the short notice, but next Tuesday morning, June 12, I will be presenting and participating in a free SBIR Workshop hosted by High Tech Rochester. Full details, including registration information, is available here. For my part I will be giving a highly-condensed presentation on how to craft compelling proposals entitled “45 Minutes to …
Feb 23
Why I’ve been so quiet…
After a great deal of consideration, I’ve accepted the role of Coordinator for the Optical Systems Technology program at Monroe Community College (MCC) here in Rochester, NY. Rochester is an “optics” town to its DNA. It’s easy to point to the obvious players (i.e. Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch and Lomb), but optics is also critical …
Dec 31
Starting from “Why?”
My friend Len Bland at Concept Equity sent me a link to Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” presentation for the 2009 TEDx conference in Puget Sound, WA. The talk is inspirational (I’ve never seen a TED talk that wasn’t), and it’s particularly relevant to small businesses trying to secure their place in the market. Separate from …
Nov 21
Mars Needs Lenses
I just heard that some of my friends at Optimax are heading down to Cape Canaveral this weekend to watch the launch of the new Mars rover, Curiosity. To learn more about Optimax’s contributions to the new rover, check out their recent newsletter.
Oct 06
Steve Jobs: Live Before You Die
I promise not to get caught up in the deification of Steve Jobs, but anyone who knows me knows that I’ve been a serious Mac geek for decades. In 2005 Steve Jobs gave a speech at Stanford entitled “How to live before you die.” It’s wonderful.
Sep 26
NAVAIR SBIR Advice: Part 3 of 3
Understand the Review Process (Part 1 and Part 2 published previously) The “SBIR Program” is not one thing. Each government department (NSF, DoD, NIH, NASA, etc.) has broad latitude in structuring its own version of an SBIR program. Furthermore, within large departments like DoD, each agency (Army, Navy, etc.) has its own rules. Even within …