Tools, Tricks & Thoughts on Improving Gender Parity in Invention

Mercedes Meyer, intellectual property partner in Washington, D.C., presented at the Association of University Technology Managers’ annual meeting, “Tools, Tricks & Thoughts on Improving Gender Parity in Invention,” in Phoenix, Arizona, February 18-21.

Mercedes, the Intellectual Property Owners Association Women in IP Committee vice chair, addressed that, while men and women have similar levels of scholarly output, women are only listed as inventors 14 percent of the time in the United States (World Intellectual Property Organization, November 2016).

Mercedes and her colleagues Jennifer Shockro, Ph.D., and Kathy Sohar, Ph.D., covered topics such as potential causes of gender disparity in the industry, interventions and advocacy necessary to bridge the gender gap, and immediate action items to begin solving disparity, such as auditing the institution’s infrastructure for invention and implementing targeted training. Mercedes has also recently posted on LinkedIn several blogs on women inventors.

In recognition of March 8 as International Women’s Day, we honor the countless innovations and professional achievements made by women, both within and outside of our firm.