Curricular needs and research consultations in Patents and Trademarks continue to grow

This year Lori Lysiak and Carmen Cole attended the Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) Annual Training Seminar at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Alexandria, Virginia. As part of the Penn State University Libraries commitment to the PTRC program, we agree to send representatives to training at the USPTO each year. During the seminar workshops on patent and trademark information are conducted as well as discussion and networking between PTRC representatives from around the country.

profile portrait of woman with glasses

Lori Lysiak

Lori reported to the assembled PTRC representatives and the USPTO program on the successes of the University Libraries in 2016. She learned of new programs at other schools including pop-up patent sessions for engineering courses, branding workshops for business and marketing courses, and the Co-Motion Incubator, a research space with commercialization funding to help start-ups get their ideas off the ground and into the marketplace. A second-time attendee, she also refreshed her knowledge of the patent information systems and websites that she promotes in the engineering design courses at Altoona. She was also able to network with seasoned USPTO members to identify strategies for continued collaborations with engineering and entrepreneurial faculty at Altoona.

Carmen, a first-time attendee, was oriented to the PTRC program by receiving instruction in the basics of intellectual property protection; searching patent and trademark information using PubEast, Espacenet, and TESS; and was introduced to general trademark registration requirements and processes. She was able to form connections with PTRC members that support disciplines similar to those found in the College of IST.

The entrepreneurial aspect of the PTRC Seminar coincides with the Invent Penn State initiative that is seeing remarkable growth across multiple Penn State campuses. Curricular needs and research consultations in patents and trademarks continue to grow as a result of Penn State Launch Boxes and increasing startups and intellectual property. The training information and hands-on skills acquired by Lori and Carmen are timely and valuable to support these initiatives.

– submitted by Lori Lysiak, Penn State Altoona