The cornerstone of American invention is the constitutionally protected right of inventors to own their inventions. The advantages of this approach to patents have been demonstrated in university research for the past 100 years. The very earliest faculty-initiated efforts to use the patent system created the idea of the university affiliated research foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the modern university technology transfer office. Now many of those same technology transfer offices are trying to put an end to faculty-led invention management.
Over the past 30 years, inventors’ rights—and initiative—have been greatly diminished in American universities. University administrators have pushed for policies that require faculty, and even students and visitors, to assign rights in their research results to universities.
To read the full, original article click on this link: GEN | Magazine Articles: Ownership or Stewardship?
