Abstract
AbstractThis paper analyzes the findings of an international survey questionnaire to which responses were received from over 500 members from different technical societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The survey is primarily intended to uncover members' perceptions of patent filing and research‐driven innovation. Our thesis statement is twofold. First, the introduction of basic intellectual property (IP) courses to university Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics curricula would teach students valuable basics of IP and associated issues, technology protection; and possibly stimulate novel/innovative R&D outcomes. Second, studying relevant active/lapsed/expired patent documents could provide stimulating input for ongoing academic research. After analyzing the survey results we conclude that IP coursework could be a catalyst for students and researchers to explore patent opportunities related to their specific interests. The resulting knowledge would further enable researchers to prepare more compelling funding applications. In our experience, IEEE conference publications are often closely aligned with inventions to solve pressing technical problems. Conference papers typically comprise of cutting‐edge research/industry findings, with a short time between paper submission and presentation. Furthermore, conference organizers choose themes representing the forefront of technologies that often lead to inventions. These could fuel patent developments, but academic research environments often provide little if any incentives for academic researchers to prepare and file patent applications. Indeed, the attainment of high impact journal publications remains the primary metric by which research activity is judged and future academic tenure achieved.
Highlights
The present survey demonstrates a distinct appetite within the researcher community for the inclusion of basic intellectual property (IP) courses to university STEM curricula, which would teach students valuable basics of IP and associated issues, technology protection and possibly stimulate novel/innovative R&D outcomes
Nearly half the respondents indicated that they believe the introduction of basic IP modules to STEM course curriculum would enhance novel/ innovative outcomes in research leading to development
We contend that the inclusion of patent training in STEM bachelor and graduate degree curricula, could ignite interest in the use of the potential research information residing in active/lapsed/expired patents to better inform their own research interests and support the preparation of more compelling grant applications and thereby secure increased institutional and personal research funding
Summary
This study focuses on intellectual property (IP) awareness in engineering, physics, and associated educational sectors. Setting the backdrop to the survey and touching on a number of the points raised in the survey, the first part of this paper includes a short overview of various historical definitions of innovation and the role of patenting therein. This is followed by a brief discussion of patenting in academia, examining aspects of IP inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curricula, institutional drivers for patenting together with drivers and impediments to patenting by individual academics. While IP is conventionally viewed solely in terms of its contribution to the innovation domain, in some instances the process of applying for patent protection (e.g., reviewing prior art disclosed in or cited against published patent documents) can lead an inventor to new ideas, principles, and technologies that drive their subsequent research
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