2021 Newsletter: January-March

March 31, 2021

MESSAGE FROM JESSICA LANDACRE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
We are excited to kick off 2021 with programming for our new strategic priority: to promote innovation and creation by, within, and for underrepresented communities. IPO Education Foundation will continue to share ways in which you can get involved through this newsletter and the IPO Daily News™. Join us as a strategic partner and be a part of accomplishing the mission! If you don’t have the time but your organization has a diversity and inclusion committee or an affiliated diversity-based group, please consider sharing that information with us by emailing Program Manager, Kristen Lurye, klurye@ipo.org. The strategic framework is linked here and provides additional information about the Foundation’s goals. We are seeking strategic partners to help create programs that provide awareness about intellectual property in diverse communities where the creativity already exists, but the IP rights do not. Together we can improve education about IP and drive innovation and economic prosperity in underrepresented communities.
BEHIND THE IDEA WEBINAR SERIES
Did you know the Foundation launched a webinar series to reach high school and college students about innovation? These webinars are designed for students but they are free for anyone to attend. To view Behind the IDEA webinars, visit IPOEF.org or the Foundation’s Youtube page.
What is IP?
Sponsored by Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.
Students learned about the fundamentals of IP through the first hand experience of Shawn Springs, former NFL player and entrepreneur. Foundation board member, Richard Watkins (Medtronic, Inc.) spoke to Mr. Springs about his journey to start his company Windpact, and how IP protection played a key role in the process. Mr. Springs talked about the importance of having a mentor for guidance as well as how he used his football career as a stepping stone for his next big endeavor. “All my life I wasn’t just an athlete. I was a curious kid and wanted to see how things could be improved or made better.” – Shawn Springs
Herstory of Invention
Sponsored by Micron Technology, Inc.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Sandra Nowak (3M Innovative Properties Co.) led a panel featuring three prolific inventors who have more than 800 patents among them: Marian Croak (Google), Sumita Mitra (Mitra Chemical Consulting), and Lisa Seacat Deluca (IBM Corp.). They each spoke about their journeys to get where they are in their careers and about the importance of having an empowered leader to support you in this journey as well as creating a “challenge network” for motivation. Each panelist offered advice for innovators. Dr. Croak said that it’s important not to accept the status quo and instead of complaining imagine how you would make something better. Dr. Mitra added to think big picture and how you can make things easier for the end user. Ms. Seacat Deluca followed by saying, not everyone has to come up with that big idea, the little inventions are contributing so that other people can learn and build on top of them…that’s the purpose of the patent system.
Careers in STEM – All the Possibilities
Sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb Company
In partnership with IPO’s Black IP Professionals Resource Group this panel was moderated by co-chair of IPO’s Outreach Committee Leanthony Edwards (Dinsmore & Shohl) and speakers included: Eldora Ellison (Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox, PLLC), Serena Farquharson-Torres (Bristol Myers Squibb Co.) and Christopher Williams (Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture). The panelists answered questions from the audience and shared tips for students to be successful in school and as they start their careers. Additionally, in celebration of Black History Month, the three speakers shared which African American innovators have inspired them throughout their careers. Dr. Williams mentioned Bessie Blount Griffin, most well-known for the invention of a feeding device that allowed injured World War Two soldiers to be self-sufficient. This story and others from underrepresented communities will be included in season four of the Stroke of Genius® podcast.
STROKE OF GENIUS® SEASON 4 COMING APRIL 7
Season 4 of the Stroke of Genius podcast will include stories from underrepresented communities in innovation and IP exploring immigrant entrepreneurs, protest art, and innovation spurred by the pandemic. Don’t miss an episode by subscribing today on any major podcast platform like Apple, Google, and Spotify. Share with your community on LinkedIn by following this short tutorial video! For questions about sponsor opportunities please contact Kristen Lurye, klurye@ipo.org or 202-507-4502.
NOCHE DE CIENCIAS
IPO Education Foundation and the IPO Hispanic IP Professionals Resource Group participated in an event on February 25 to reach K-12 students about IP and STEM. The event titled Noche de Ciencias was hosted by the USPTO and SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) and featured participants from various industries to engage with students and their families through hands on activities and presentations. The IPOEF virtual exhibit featured speakers: Natalie Gonzales (Baker Botts LLP), Gloria Fuentes (Merck & Co. Inc), and Brianna Hinojosa-Smith (Yum! Brands) who shared their stories about why they entered STEM careers and took questions from the student attendees about how to pursue similar pathways. A recording of the event is available on IPOEF’s Youtube page.
SPOTLIGHT ON ACTIVITIES WITH STRATEGIC PARTNERS
In celebration of Entrepreneur Week, board member Phyllis Turner-Brim (HP Inc.) joined a virtual “Ask Me Anything” event hosted by the Michelson Institute for IP and National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship. Ms. Turner-Brim answered questions from the audience from guidelines around patenting an invention to how to protect a brand from infringement. The recording can be found online here.
Hot Topics in IP will be released throughout the year, with the goal of making IP fundamentals and key IP issues easily accessible and understandable to the public, specifically underrepresented communities. The first article “Understanding the Balance of Traditional IP Rights and Open Access Initiatives” was edited by IPOEF president, Manny Schecter (IBM Corp.) and is available online at MichelsonIP.com.
Board member Bart Eppenauer (Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP) volunteered as a judge for a SHPE event on March 20, Designing for a VUCA World Competition. Student teams selected a problem statement, defined it for themselves, and designed a product or service that addressed the social problem and presented it to the judges in a five-minute fast pitch. Bart remarked that he was exceedingly impressed with the creativity, professionalism and poise the participants demonstrated under pressure and tight time constraints. IPO and Foundation board members will serve as judges for additional competition days in the coming weeks.
A second issue of Hot Topics in IP was edited by board member Judge Paul Michel (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, retired). This article, titled “How to Strengthen Your Patent” identifies four key ways to create a strong, valuable patent: present well-written claims, remember that usefulness is more important than novelty, use prior art to distinguish your invention, and try to attack your own patent. Also included in this article are resources for inventors for further reading.
HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR DONATION
Did you know that many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will double, or even triple charitable contributions made by their employees? By making a simple request, you might be able to increase your impact on IPO Education Foundation. Contributions of any amount help expand the Foundation’s reach about the importance of IP through programs like Behind the IDEA, Stroke of Genius, and the IP Patch. Consider supporting IP education by making a donation and find out if your company will match the contribution.
THANK YOU TO OUR PLATINUM DONORS