In a recent excursion of experiential learning, the Professional Science Master’s (PSM) program delved into the world of patents and trademarks. Students in our Fundamentals of Intellectual Property (IP) course took a field trip to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), where they were treated to a day of insight from esteemed experts in the field. Students who could not visit the USPTO in person joined via Zoom.
Over the course of the day, students heard from USPTO professionals about their daily duties, the history of the USPTO office, and more. Students also heard from esteemed guest speaker Dan McCurdy, CEO of Rational Patent Exchange (RPX) Corporation. McCurdy has an extensive career in IP.
RPX is a singular company that mitigates or resolves a patent risk by bringing companies together to resolve patent disputes once on behalf of many companies, as opposed to each of those companies having to solve a patent dispute independently. McCurdy shared insights with course instructor Dr. DJ Nag about the history and mission of RPX, what a patent means to a tech company, how RPX brings in new customers, and more. RPX has a strong relationship with all its members, serving over 450 members across industries. RPX’s unique approach benefits both patent owners and companies, avoiding considerable litigation fees.
The industry of IP is constantly evolving, said McCurdy, ideal for those who thrive on perpetual change and dynamic challenges.
The goal of the MBS class trip to the USPTO is to provide students with insight from experts into the duties of the USPTO and the field of IP, inciting passion about patents and innovation. Students spend the day learning about patents, trademarks, and IP while conversing with industry professionals. This trip takes place every year. Check out our blog for an in-depth review of the trip.
In addition to this trip, students in the course are treated to guest lectures from esteemed professionals throughout the semester—including Leann Pinto, CEO of IPwe; Nicole Shanahan, California-based attorney and philanthropist; and most recently Sukla Chandra, Senior Managing Director of General Electric (GE) Licensing.
Visit our course catalog to learn more about Fundamentals of IP.