My RTTP Journey: Claire O'Brien

As a Commercialisation Specialist in the Innovation & Enterprise Office at Munster Technological University in Cork, Claire O'Brien works with researchers to translate innovative ideas into real-world impact. After beginning her career in academic research and later moving into engineering and innovation leadership roles within industry, she found knowledge transfer to be the ideal environment to combine technical expertise, commercial insight and collaboration.

For Claire, achieving Candidate RTTP recognition marks an important milestone in an ongoing journey of professional development.

''On a personal level, it's great to be recognised for the work, learning, and progression that has happened over the last few years. Professionally, it strengthens my confidence in the decisions I make and the advice that I give''.

A commitment to continuous learning

Claire describes herself as a lifelong learner, making Candidate RTTP a natural next step after completing a range of professional development activities.

Rather than simply pursuing an accreditation, she wanted the opportunity to benchmark her experience against an international standard and reflect on how her career had developed.

''Working in commercialisation, I am aware of how much the role draws on a broad and evolving skillset—from technical understanding to relationship-building and strategic thinking."

She also valued the way the application process encouraged her not only to recognise what she had already achieved, but also to think intentionally about her future development and progression towards full RTTP accreditation.

Building expertise through experience

Claire's route into knowledge transfer was not a traditional one. Following an early career in academic research, she gained extensive experience in engineering and innovation leadership within a multinational company before moving into commercialisation.

She believes confidence in knowledge transfer is built through hands-on experience.

''My career in knowledge transfer has really been shaped by experience—learning by doing and building confidence over time."

As her responsibilities grew, she became increasingly involved across the full commercialisation journey, from identifying funding opportunities to supporting intellectual property protection and engaging with industry partners.

Along the way, she developed a greater appreciation that successful commercialisation depends just as much on communication, negotiation and relationship management as it does on technical expertise.

Learning with ASTP

Professional development has played an important role throughout Claire's journey, and ASTP's training helped provide both structure and confidence as she established herself in the profession.

The Knowledge Transfer Fundamentals course proved particularly influential, giving her a clear framework at the beginning of her career in knowledge transfer.

''The Knowledge Transfer Fundamentals course definitely stands out, as it was at the start of my role... it really set the foundation for me."

She also highlights the Advanced Patent Strategy & Pitfalls masterclass and the Advanced Digital Innovation one day course as especially valuable, providing practical knowledge that she could immediately apply in her day-to-day work.

For Claire, one of ASTP's greatest strengths is that its learning opportunities remain practical, relevant and closely connected to the realities of commercialisation.

Looking back through the RTTP process

One aspect of the Candidate RTTP application that surprised Claire was just how reflective the process was.

Rather than simply documenting achievements, it encouraged her to step back and consider how much she had developed professionally.

''It's not just about listing what you've done—it's about thinking carefully about how you've developed, the decisions you've made, and the impact of your work."

That opportunity for reflection made the recognition even more meaningful.

Advice for future RTTP applicants

Claire encourages other knowledge transfer professionals not to wait until they feel completely ready before applying.

"I would definitely encourage people not to wait until they feel 'completely ready.' The process itself helps you realise the breadth of your experience, and the Candidate accreditation is a great stepping-stone to RTTP."

For her, RTTP is more than a professional designation—it is an opportunity to recognise personal growth, build confidence and become part of an international community working towards the shared goal of translating research into real-world impact.

If Claire's experience has inspired you, start your Candidate RTTP journey now.