The Office of Grants and Research (OGR), in collaboration with the College of Engineering, organized a one-hour seminar titled “Turning Engineering Ideas into Protected Assets” at the Levine Building. The session included a presentation, a panel discussion, and a question-and-answer segment focused on intellectual property (IP) protection and research commercialization.
Participants included students, teaching and research assistants, and faculty members. The seminar was moderated by Dr. Henry Agbe, the Intellectual Property Representative at the college of Engineering. Speaking on behalf of the Provost, Prof. Kweku Amaning Adjei highlighted the importance of such seminars in equipping researchers with the knowledge needed to protect and apply their innovations effectively.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Jerome Dela Lavie, who explained how research ideas can be developed into protected intellectual assets. He discussed key IP tools, the benefits of protecting research outputs, and practical steps for securing intellectual property rights. He emphasized the need to protect innovations before publication to avoid losing patent or utility model opportunities.
The panel discussion featured representatives from the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Unit and the College’s Grants and Research Office. Panelists responded to questions and clarified issues related to IP protection and commercialization.
The seminar concluded with a short networking session. Participants expressed interest in reviewing their research projects for potential IP protection and engaging the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Unit for further support.
