2023 Newsletter: January-March

March 31, 2023

Message from IPOEF President, Robert DeBerardine

We are happy to share with you that IPOEF’s 2023 has started with excitement, energy and IP erudition. First, we welcomed the addition of a future IP learner in Kristen Lurye’s son Nikolai. Kristen and family are doing well and Kristen, Foundation Deputy Executive Director, is ready to return and help guide our 2023 efforts. Kristen’s tremendous talents will be immediately put to the test as there are many new events and programs on the horizon for IPOEF, including new partnerships with schools and educators across the country that will aid us in spreading the word about the importance of IP.

We have been returning to in-person learning events and our educators and students are once again enjoying the sagacity and inner serenity that comes from conjoint remarks and ruminations on IP principles. Programs like the IP Patch thrive in “hands-on” learning environments. (Question: what is better than receiving an IP patch? Answer: handing an IP patch to future inventors, brand-makers, writers, artistic performers, and yes, dare we say it, IP professionals.) Group learning by educators and our talented IPOEF professional volunteers is happening across the country. These educational efforts include IPOEF’s new initiative to pair IPO members with organizations and schools in their home cities to reach students where IP education is not usually available. Members will present from the IPOEF curriculum to demonstrate the value of IP and encourage protection for innovation in patents, trademarks, copyright so that every child has an opportunity to appreciate the value of their personal ideas and understand how they can protect and use those ideas to better themselves and their community. Be sure to follow the IPOEF pages on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to learn about how IPOEF (in other words, you) is making a difference in the communities of underrepresented students. Visit the IPOEF website for more information on how you can volunteer and contribute to the education of our future leaders in IP.

Middle School Students Learn about IP and Entrepreneurship

IPO members visited eighth grade, technology classroom on January 12 in Olney, MD. Over 60 students from William Farquhar Middle School learned about intellectual property, how to write a business plan, and how to take an invention from prototype to production. Volunteers included Reginald Lucas (Finnegan), Raj Shah (Johnson & Johnson), and IPO Education Foundation board member Mercedes Meyer (Banner & Witcoff). The students were tasked with inventing a solution to an everyday problem and learned the program TinkerCAD to create 3D models of their inventions. Ms. Meyer emphasized the importance of relevant and interactive examples to engage students effectively. The class learned how patents and trademarks contributed to the success of business and one student was even overheard telling his friend, “I actually learned something in school today that I can use in life!”

World IP Day 2023

Partnership Event with the Center of Science and Industry

On April 26, the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), in partnership with IPO Education Foundation, hosted a World IP Day celebration. COSI used the Foundation’s free IP Patch curriculum and invited more than 50 young women ages 12-18 from across Columbus, Ohio. Activities aligned with this year’s theme “Women in IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity” and highlighted the work of trailblazing women around the world and raised awareness about why it is so important to encourage more women to participate in the IP system. A special thank you to volunteers Kayla Tyler (Dinsmore), Ritu Singh (Dinsmore), Jennifer Livingston (Dinsmore), and Carrie Morgan Schwartz (Procter & Gamble Co.) for your participation in this event! Ms. Singh said “I was so inspired by the creativity and curiosity of the girls who attended the World IP Day event at COSI in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio! Their questions were on point and thought provoking, and their drive and determination was palpable. The event presented an introduction to Intellectual Property to the middle and high school aged girls. The event further provided an opportunity for the girls to network with IP professionals and innovators in a close setting where meaningful discussions could, and did, and take place.”

World IP Day Celebration in Houston

In honor of World IP Day, IPO Education Foundation is sponsoring an event with We Will, an organization dedicated to empowering women in life and law. On May 19, IPO members have volunteered to meet with high school students in Houston, Texas to talk about careers in IP and innovation. Students will receive one-on-one mentorship as well as information and resources to inspire them to pursue a career in IP. In alignment with IPOEF’s strategic priority, this opportunity is particularly unique as We Will serves a community of color that lacks resources and exposure.

Listen to the Stroke of Genius® Podcast Today!

The Stroke of Genius podcast tackles questions about how patents incentivize investment in R&D, the right of musicians to “sample” music, the role of IP in promoting tech innovation and sustainability, and more. Support the program by listening and leaving a review! The podcast features entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, inventors, lawyers, and other industry leaders to get to the heart of what intellectual property protection means to them – and why it matters. All episodes are available on your podcast platform of choice – click here to listen!

Welcome New IPOEF Board Member

Please join IPO Education Foundation in welcoming the newest member of the Board, Dena Ehrich, 3M Innovative Properties Co. Ms. Ehrich joins the Board with more than 15 years of experience at 3M and a passion for creative, wholistic problem solving. She says she “firmly believes diversity, equity and inclusion is crucial to realize the best solutions. In order to ensure we have truly diverse representation, it is imperative to ally, advocate and champion individuals who are not currently part of the circle of discussion where I have a seat at the table. Overall, diversity and diverse thinking is good for business, people and the planet. We must do the work to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in innovation and creativity. It is not optional.”

Occasionally there are vacancies on the IPO Education Foundation Board. If you’re interested in being considered for a Board seat please contact Foundation@ipo.org.

Thank You Platinum Donor

Visit IPOEF.org to become a donor or to view a full list of IPOEF supporters.