Above: Santokh Singh Badesha receives an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York, USA.
People
Master Of Patents & Inventions:
Santokh Singh Badesha
ELENA D'AGNESE
Santokh Singh Badesha is more than a prolific inventor.
The Xerox Fellow and Manager of Open Innovation at Xerox Corporation is a leader who knows how to get the most out of a team.
Since joining the business process and document technology company in 1980, Santokh Singh has been issued over 200 patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Today, he has over 55 other patent applications in different stages of review.
His individual contributions are extraordinary, yet he’s also a team-builder with important advice for New York State manufacturers.
APPLIED KNOWLEDGE & BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS
Before joining Xerox in 1980, Santokh led a distinguished academic career both in India and the United States. The holder of two PhDs in organic chemistry, he credits his “academic background” with helping him to “seek out and leverage scientific advancement for solving current critical technology problems”.
In 2007, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) degree from Clarkson University for what the Potsdam, New York school described as his “successful career-long effort to connect novel scientific principles with innovative technological application.”
Today, Santokh serves as a technical liaison for talent development and acquisition and collaborative research to a number of academic institutions, including Clarkson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, and University Of Rochester.
At Xerox, he explains, management encourages the development of intellectual property (IP), but also sets high expectations. To succeed, diverse teams must collaborate closely while crossing departmental boundaries and even going outside of the organization itself.
Accordingly, Santokh describes himself as a “great believer” in building relationships both within and beyond Xerox.
“This enables you to cut down on cost and time of implementation of your inventions,” he explains.
In addition to his work for Xerox Corporation, Santokh serves on the Board of Directors for FuzeHub, which connects New York State’s small and mid-sized manufacturing companies to the resources, programs, and expertise that they need to succeed and grow.
His milestone 200th patent illustrates his contributions not just as an inventor, but as a manufacturing thought leader.
MILESTONES & MATERIALS
On May 26, 2015, the USPTO issued Santokh Singh and four Xerox co-inventors Patent 9,042,796 for their “Transfer Assist Blade.” Part of a subsystem that aids the electrostatic transfer of developed images onto paper, this invention is designed for use with Xerox Corporation’s iGen high-speed, high-end, color-process printing press.
“The patent marks a new era of transfer assist blade technology,” Santokh explains.
The highly-controlled, semi-conductive material that’s used is significantly more uniform than previously available materials, but that’s not the only reason the transfer assist blade is cutting-edge.
For companies of all types, especially small-to-medium manufacturers, reducing material costs can strengthen the bottom line. If quality suffers, however, potential savings can be offset by the cost of rework – or even lost business.
With Patent 9,042,796, the lower-cost, higher-quality material that’s used is part of a “true win/win,” Santokh explains.
“The ability to become significantly better, and doing so at a lower cost, is the essence of being both efficient and competitive – no compromise,” he adds. Badesha’s patent is no longer his most recent (the latest is #203), but it’s a model for manufacturing innovation.
ABOUT VALUE - NOT COUNTING
Patents are important because they promote sales, support cross-licensing, and help prevent technology infringements. Yet patents alone don’t provide product value.
“What is more important,” Santokh explains, “is commercialization in product portfolios”.
Although he’s one of the most prolific inventors in the history of Xerox Corporation, Santokh says that an inventor’s ability to apply technologies in response to business needs is “a true differentiator”. Successful inventors work closely with their peers, but they also collaborate in a broader sense.
“I am often called upon by the product program management teams to help solve technology problems to get ideas implemented faster for commercialization,” he explains. “Over the years, I have learned to appreciate and build on the diversity of ideas from members of inter- and intra-organizational teams”.
The approach he champions is captured in the acronym CDDC, which he defines as “create jointly (C), design (D), develop (D), and capture value (C)”.
Santokh Singh‘s advice: “Get involved with real problem-solving efforts, form cross-functional teams, don’t try to do everything yourself, share credit with others, recognize the missing pieces of capabilities – and seek out assistance.”
[Courtesy: FuzeHub. Edited for sikhchic.com ]
June 30, 2015
Conversation about this article
1: Arjan Singh (USA), June 30, 2015, 12:55 PM.
Thank you for posting this article. Really inspiring to read about someone doing work in research and development at a company that gave the world PARC (Palo Alto Research Center Inc.). Xerox may not have been able to capitalize on all the technologies they pioneered but this company was responsible for many ground-breaking technologies such as Ethernet, laser printing, modern PC, Graphical User Interface, object-oriented programming, ubiquitous computing, very large scale integration (VLSI), etc. Xerox showed the world how to perform commercial R&D in an organized manner. The story of Chester Carlson at Xerox is also worth reading; he invented the process of copying documents (xerography). His invention essentially started an entire industry of photo-copying machines and a revolution in how we cope with the paper chase.
2: Harinder Singh (Punjab), June 30, 2015, 9:46 PM.
Wow! We need to have a data bank of all our 'beautiful minds'. It should be put online so that they can connect with and inspire our young and future generations.
3: Gurwattan Singh Miranpuri (Madison, Wisconsin, USA), July 03, 2015, 10:19 AM.
I salute Dr. Santokh Singh for his highest of achievements at "Xerox". He is indeed a strategic planner and strong follower of the concept of "create jointly, design, develop and capture value (CDDC)." The very word "Santokh" means contentment, one of the five virtues vigorously promoted by the Sikh Gurus.
4: Jasvir Singh Gill (Fremont, California, USA), July 04, 2015, 3:50 PM.
Dr Santokh Singh's achievements are simply brilliant! He makes all of us so proud and is a great role model for our younger generation as, in addition to being a genius, he is also a great person. He makes all of us feel so proud. Congratulations!
5: Pushap Raj Arora (Rochester, New York, USA), July 04, 2015, 4:54 PM.
We all know how difficult it is to find time and energy from the responsibilities of demanding jobs and young families. Dr. Santokh Singh has been an inspiring example for all Sikhs. The lion's share of the credit for the first Sikh Gurdwara in Rochester goes to him and it is a great example of his dedication to the Sikh cause. It should also be noted that the Punjab Science Congress recognized him as a scholar with an honorary Fellowship of the Academy at a special ceremony held at Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, Punjab.
6: Gurdev Singh Purewal (Webster/Monroe, New York, USA), July 10, 2015, 4:13 PM.
Great role model for the Sikh-American community. Special pride for all Sikhs globally. Clarkson University has established a scholarship to honor Dr. Santokh Singh. It is given to one student every year.
7: Jagdish Singh Dhaliwal (Tarpon Springs, Florida, USA), July 12, 2015, 9:18 PM.
It is my good fortune that I know Dr. Santokh Singh personally. I wasn’t aware of his academic or professional achievements when I met him. But what impressed me most was how much he has helped his extended family, friends and community wherever he lived. He just happened to bring his young family to Rochester when the local Sikh community was striving to establish a house of worship of their own. Seva provided by Santokh Singh's family was instrumental in realizing the local Sikh community’s dream of building the first gurdwara in upstate New York.
8: Harbhajan Singh Purewal (Webster, New York, USA), July 14, 2015, 2:43 PM.
Dr. Santokh Singh is a diamond in rough. People are beginning to recognize his contributions at a large scale now. In addition to what has been already mentioned, he is a great human being who is always ready to help anybody in the community. He lives a very simple down-to-earth life. It is no joke, he's always in jeans and T-shirt. One day at the gurdwara, someone looked at him and asked me if he had a good job, what does he do? When I told him, he went totally blank and quiet. As it is said, behind every successful man, there is a woman. And that is Amarjit Kaur, his wife. She is the pillar of the Sikh community in the Rochester Gurdwara. It is unbelievable how hard she works for the gurdwara of Rochester and friends. No function starts without her.
9: Anup Singh Badesha (Churchville, New York, USA), July 16, 2015, 7:03 PM.
Well done so far. But much more yet to be done. Keep moving ... there is always room at the top. I am proud of you.
10: Sudarshan Singh Bains (USA), July 18, 2015, 10:58 AM.
Great scientist - someone you would like to talk about, and get to talk to young Sikhs today. Dr Santokh Singh has achieved international level recognition for his contribution to science with his inherent talent and hard work. Growing up in a Punjabi village and studying in ordinary rural schools, he sought out his calling in the field of science. At the same time, true to his roots and Sikh up-bringing, he has been a dedicated contributor to the establishment of gurdwara in Rochester, New York State. He is someone we can all be proud of. Wish him continued success.
11: Parupkar Singh (Batala, Punjab), July 19, 2015, 11:35 AM.
Very proud of Dr. Santokh Singh's accomplishments. He truly is a devout Sikh, a very kind person, and someone we all young Sikhs should emulate.
12: Harjit Singh (Amritsar, Punjab), July 20, 2015, 6:34 PM.
First, a full disclosure: I was Santokh's Master's and PhD thesis adviser, first at Punjab University, Chandigarh, and then at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Santokh was an extremely focused and hard working student and his personal and professional ethics are exemplary. I am honored to be associated with him. Wish him all the best.
13: Jagtar Singh Banait (Patiala, Punjab), July 20, 2015, 8:46 PM.
You and your family and friends must be very proud of your accomplishments. Indeed, in such a competitive world, you add to Sikhs being recognized as thought leaders. Earlier this year, I enjoyed Dr. Santokh Singh's keynote lecture on innovation at the Punjab Science Congress annual meeting that was held at the Desh Bhagat University in Mandi, Gobindgarh. Hope the Punjab government invites you to help Punjab to become the innovation hub of creating jobs.
14: Charan Singh Kalsi (Riverdale, New Jersey, USA), September 12, 2015, 2:48 PM.
First of all, I want to congratulate you for your success in achieving over 200 US Patents. I will request you when you go out for your award ceremony, that you wear your Dastaar, so we feel more proud that one of our brothers has achieved so much in the USA. Once again to all your family, a lot of good wishes and congratulation.