A recently published study by an Indiana University scholar found that since 1976, the number of women who have filed patents with the U.S. Patent and Trade Office has risen faster within academia as opposed to other economic sectors such as industry, government and individual inventors.

The analysis, led by associate professor Cassidy R. Sugimoto at IU-Bloomington’s School of Informatics and Computing, examined 4.6 million utility patents issued between 1976 and 2013. It found that the overall percentage of patents with women’s names attached to the filing increased 18 percent in academia, compared to 12 percent among individuals, 10 percent in industry and an average of 2 to 3 percent across all areas.

“To find out that women are patenting at higher rates in academia compared to industry, government and individuals is a surprising discovery. We had thought it might fall lower since patenting in still considered ‘optional’ in terms of promotion in academia, although it’s increasingly encouraged.”

— Cassidy R. Sugimoto, associate professor, IU School of Informatics and Computing

Sugimoto also emphasized the important role played by university technology transfer offices — such as the Indiana University Research and Technology Corp. — in setting policies that encourage women’s innovation.

“The IURTC is strongly committed to encouraging innovation among all faculty, including women. Our office operates a number of efforts to educate faculty on topics such as intellectual property, patents and spinning off their discoveries as companies whose impact may be felt beyond the laboratory.”

— IURTC President and CEO Tony Armstrong

Sugimoto’s study is titled “The Academic Advantage: Gender Disparities in Patenting and appears online in the academic journal PLOS ONE. Read the full study here: