USPTO to host international women in IP webinar
Despite an increased number of women entering the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields in recent years, there is still a large gap between the number of women and men entering these fields. This has led to fewer women participating in the IP system overall.
To address this issue, the US Patent and Trademark Office |(USPTO) will host a webinar, “ International exchange on promoting the inclusion of women in IP,” on November 16.
Representatives of IP offices from around the world will discuss trends affecting female inventors and IP practitioners and explain how some countries have succeeded in increasing the participation rate of women in their IP systems.
“You'll hear presentations on strategies for increasing the participation of women in the IP system, and how to recruit, retain, and promote women in IP fields,” said the USPTO.
Studies of patent data have shown that women inventors are significantly underrepresented in the patent system worldwide.
A 2019 report by the USPTO revealed that only 12% of all inventor-patentees on US patents were women. This figure is reflected across the globe, with women inventors accounting for just under 13% of all patent applications, according to the UK Intellectual Property Office.
When it comes to the demographics of patent practitioners, details are scant because the USPTO does not collect or provide substantial demographic data. But Saurabh Vishnubhakat, professor at Texas A&M University, suggested in his 2014 study, “ Gender Diversity in the Patent Bar”, that only 18% of patent practitioners were women.
The USPTO’s free event will feature the views and insights of leading officials from the US office, IP Australia, the Canadian IP Office, the IP Office of the Philippines, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, the IP Office of New Zealand, the Industrial Property Protection Directorate of Jordan, and other national offices.
Register to attend this online event on Tuesday, November 16, from 4-6pm ET.
For more information, visit the event page on the USPTO website.
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