The Professional Science Master's (PSM) program seeks to connect our students with changemakers in industry. On June 18th, Professor DJ Nag welcomed Sukla Chandra, a well-known expert in the world of intellectual property (IP), to discuss IP strategy on a global scale with our Fundamentals of Intellectual Property class. Chandra is the Senior Managing Director of General Electric (GE) Licensing and oversees technology transfer and licensing collaborations. With several patents to her name, Chandra also co-led India's GE Women’s Network Initiatives for five years.
Chandra began her talk by referencing a 2010 prediction from the analyst group Gartner about exciting future technologies, including natural language models and quantum computing. She noted that while many ideas were highlighted, not all reached the commercialization stage. Chandra emphasized the importance of focusing on innovations that align with business strengths and goals due to limited resources.
Chandra continued to discuss designing products for global markets, different types of IP protection, and how to manage IP throughout a product’s life cycle. Her lecture included real-life case studies showing how GE used certain strategies with potassium fluorosilicate (PFS) and sodium-ion batteries. The approach helped GE keep a stake in the technology's success while letting others bring it to market.
After her lecture, Professor Nag joined Chandra for a fireside chat. They discussed current events in the IP world, global IP dynamics, and the potential of countries like Korea, Vietnam, and Africa.
As a woman in STEM, Chandra shared the challenges she faced when there were very few women in her field. “She recalled that many companies only accepted applications from men for certain roles, such as manufacturing.
Chandra also shared personal stories of her journey and the obstacles she overcame, recognizing that she was not alone.
“There were hurdles and challenges, but there were a lot of supporters too,” said Chandra. “It's not that it's all bad out there, so it kept me going and I think I broke a lot of barriers that way.”
She concluded the chat by emphasizing the importance of choosing a company that aligns with one's values and happiness. She still looks forward to coming into her office daily, even after 24 years.
Chandra’s passion and perseverance were truly inspiring. After her talk, students had the opportunity to mingle and network, making it a fantastic opportunity to connect in person after days of online classes.
Many thanks to Sukla Chandra for sharing her insights, and to Professor DJ Nag for hosting this event.
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