Katherine Moynihan, technology manager at Indiana University Research and Technology Corp., will travel to Durham, N.C., on September 21 to train Duke University’s Office of Licensing and Ventures on establishing an internship program.
Moynihan will speak about graduate and post-doctorate students conducting early stage assessment of new inventions disclosed by researchers.
“They conduct the initial search to determine the competitive landscape and potential patenting pitfalls and search for companies that potentially could be interested in licensing or developing the work,” she said. “This is the model I implemented when I worked at the University of Michigan. I’ve previously been invited to present on this topic to Texas Tech University and the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.”
Moynihan said there are many benefits to establishing an internship program in university technology transfer offices.
“It expands the capabilities of our workforce and provides skill-building opportunities for students interested in scientific opportunities within the commercial world,” she said. “Also, technology transfer offices are engaging with students working in labs that may then make an invention disclosure since they have personnel knowledgeable about intellectual property protection and commercialization. These students can be ambassadors for technology transfer offices.”
The training will reunite Moynihan with Robin Rasor, director of the Office of Licensing and Ventures. Moynihan worked at the University of Michigan when Rasor was its managing director of the Office of Technology Transfer.
“It’s interesting to learn how other offices conduct their work. Sometimes there are processes that can be implemented at IURTC,” Moynihan said. “IURTC also benefits by furthering its reputation of employing knowledgeable personnel who can train others on a variety of subjects.”
Indiana University researchers who want to disclose an invention to IURTC can do so here.
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