Invention: does gender matter?

Women are named as inventors in fewer than 1 in 5 patents, even though more and more women are entering into the science and technology fields. Addressing this disparity is quickly becoming a business imperative and an issue of global competitiveness. We need to make sure that no innovative talent is left on the table. Please join us for a discussion of the gender disparity in patenting and what we can do to address it.

Moderator:

Michelle K. Lee Undersecretary of Commerce and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Panelists:

Dr. Lisa D. Cook Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and in International Relations at Michigan State University and author of The Idea Gap in Pink and Black.

Dr. Catherine Ashcraft Senior Research Scientist at the National Center for Women & Information Technology, and author of several studies on diversity in the technology workplace.

Meg Boulware Owner of Boulware & Valoir law firm in in Houston, TX, and served as first woman president of the American Intellectual Property Law Association.

Dr. Inga Musselman Acting Provost for The University of Texas at Dallas, owner of 4 patents and published more than 80 peer-reviewed journal articles.

Evelyn Chen Senior Counsel in Ericsson's IP Rights & Licensing group in Dallas, TX

Dr. Jennifer Maynard Assistant Professor, University of Texas, patent owner, and researcher in therapeutics to prevent infectious diseases