Program agenda:
- Discussion of the Women’s Collaboratory for Innovators with UF Innovate at the University of Florida
- Discussion of the Washington University Office of Technology Management program
- Bringing underserved communities to the commercialization table
- Gaining support from university administration
- Engagement tips for reaching out to underserved populations on campus
- Addressing bias: it’s not always obvious or purposeful
- Barriers that can block the path to commercialization
- Lessons learned and success stories
- Review of the USPTO report regarding the state of the SUCCESS ACT
- Overview of the IPO Women in IP Gender Diversity in Innovation Toolkit
Numerous studies have overwhelmingly confirmed that women are granted patents at a far lower rate than men, and the disparity in patents granted to minorities is far greater. The statistics are similarly dismal in VC and angel funding, federal research grants, start-up formation, and many other aspects of commercialization and entrepreneurship. With the passing of the SUCCESS Act (Study of Underrepresented Classes Chasing Engineering and Science Success) in October of this year and the release of the IPO’s Women in IP Gender Diversity in Innovation Toolkit, as well as a report by the USPTO regarding the SUCCESS ACT, it looks like things are headed in the right direction – yet there’s so far to go.
For TTOs and universities in general, the benefits of inclusiveness and diversity are clear – more ideas emerge, more IP is created, and a wider swath of your community becomes part of the innovation ecosystem. Clearly encouraging a shift toward parity in research commercialization is more than just the societal right thing to do – it promotes economic growth. But how?
We’ve secured leaders from two of the most successful university programs designed to bolster inclusiveness and diversity for this strategy-filled, eye-opening program.
Please join Kathy Sohar, PhD, Director of the Women’s Collaboratory for Innovators with UF Innovate at the University of Florida, and Nichole Mercier, PhD, Assistant Vice Chancellor at Washington University in St. Louis and the Managing Director of the Washington University Office of Technology Management. These two dynamic leaders will discuss their respective programs, how they are bringing underserved communities to the commercialization table, and bringing positive change to their campuses — and how you can too.
