IURTC personnel to speak about women inventors, IP valuation at AUTM meeting

Experts at Indiana University Research and Technology Corp. are organizing and will participate in discussions next week during the Association of University Technology Managers annual meeting Feb. 14 through 17 at the Manchester Grant Hyatt San Diego.

AUTM is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing technology transfer at institutes of higher learning. It has more than 3,200 members from more than 300 universities, research institutions and teaching hospitals around the world.

Jennifer Finefield, IURTC senior technology manager, is on the planning committee for a Feb. 16 “Special Interest Group” discussion that will be led by the AUTM Women Inventors Committee. She said the discussion will primarily focus on how to encourage women faculty to submit their research to technology transfer offices.

“IURTC has long encouraged women innovators across all academic disciplines in the Indiana University campus system to become inventors by disclosing and protecting their work,” Finefield said. “During the AUTM annual meeting, I will share our best practices, and I anticipate learning how others also engage women innovators.”

Brion St. Amour, IURTC general counsel and head of intellectual property, will participate in the “Intellectual Property Valuation for Academia” discussion, also on Feb. 16. That panel will include David Ai, City University of Hong Kong, and Kelvin King, Valuation Consulting LLP. Stephen Blake of Marks & Clerk will moderate.

“AUTM is one of the most prestigious organizations in the world for technology transfer and commercialization professionals,” St. Amour said. “I look forward to sharing IURTC insights about the importance of intellectual property valuation and how it can be used as a tool to help manage large patent portfolios at technology transfer offices throughout the world.”

Other IURTC personnel who will attend the meeting are Marie Kerbeshian, vice president of technology commercialization; Bill Brizzard, director of technology commercialization – Bloomington; Dave Wilhite, director of technology commercialization – Indianapolis; John Montgomery, technology manager; and Jerry Hunter, SpinUp associate.