• What are the best ways to generate breakthrough research at academic institutions around the world?
• What can we learn from industry and government experience in successfully encouraging "out-of-the-box" thinking in academia?
• What are the processes other university programs use to facilitate step-out research?

This informal two-day workshop explored the best approaches for encouraging breakthrough research in academia; it provided GCEP with options to consider in attracting proposals and stimulating research that may lead to breakthroughs in energy technologies. The first day of the workshop focused on industrial experience in breakthrough research processes and the experiences of government programs in encouraging breakthrough research in academia. The second day included presentations from a diverse selection of university programs on their experience in the breakthrough research processes. This was followed by a set of group sessions where participants developed suggestions on how to encourage researchers to propose ideas that are step-out, yet aligned with a specific technical objective. The workshop was held at the Hyatt Regency Monterey and was attended by Stanford faculty, along with representatives from GCEP sponsors and other research institutions.