Category Archives: Technology Transfer

Patent litigation: the new public purpose of the American research university

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Gerald Barnett

While working on a new Guide to Bayh-Dole (one that COGR has yet to thank me for), I spent some time looking at recent patent infringement litigation initiated by universities.  It’s not a pretty picture. In “Sue U.,” Jacob H. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bayh-Dole, IP, Policy, Technology Transfer | Comments Off on Patent litigation: the new public purpose of the American research university

The Entrepreunial Research University

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Gerald Barnett

Three narratives have come together to support the transformation of American university innovation policy from one of diversity and institutional support to one of monopoly institutional control of research inventions, heralded as the best thing for the country. All the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bayh-Dole, History, Metrics, Policy, Technology Transfer, Vannever Bush | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Entrepreunial Research University

A vaccine for university invention borreliosis

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Gerald Barnett

Equity in an invention arises in a number of ways under the university patent policies of the pre-Bayh-Dole misconstruction.   Generally, the premise of equity has to do with support beyond the normal activities and salary of the work, unless someone … Continue reading →

Posted in Bayh-Dole, History, Policy, Sponsored Research, Technology Transfer | Comments Off on A vaccine for university invention borreliosis

Well, if you don’t like these five things, I’ve got others.

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Gerald Barnett

Innovation Daily has just published “Five Things Technology Transfer Offices Wish Their Start-ups Knew.” This appears to be based on a presentation the author made at the last AUTM meeting. Perhaps that’s why the piece argues that university IP offices … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Innovation, IP, Policy, Technology Transfer | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Well, if you don’t like these five things, I’ve got others.

Equity Policies and Ownership Policies, Part III

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Gerald Barnett

Part I is here.  Part II is here.  Part III follows below. The policies of the form of 1962–dealing in equities, diverse, open, advocating the use of external invention management agents, if a university had a policy at all–supported the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bayh-Dole, Freedom, Metrics, Policy, Stanford v Roche, Technology Transfer | Comments Off on Equity Policies and Ownership Policies, Part III

Equity Policies and Ownership Policies, Part II

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Gerald Barnett

Part I is here. The shift from equity to ownership in university patent polices reflects a substantial change in the approach to innovation.   An equity based policy does not require a claim of ownership.  It is based on the circumstances … Continue reading →

Posted in Metrics, Policy, Technology Transfer | 2 Comments

The long, slow 180 degree turn

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Gerald Barnett

I have spent the past few weeks working through 130 patent policies at US universities, circa 1962.  I have compiled a set of notes that runs to 100 pages, and another set of notes that are notes on the notes–2nd … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Policy, Technology Transfer | Comments Off on The long, slow 180 degree turn

400 reasons to consider alternatives to the now standard model

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Gerald Barnett

The National Science Foundation has kept track of university expenditures on research in a detailed way since 1972.  The figures for 2011 include expenditures of $65b across all fields, from all sources of funding, with 912 universities reporting.  Nearly $35b … Continue reading →

Posted in Policy, Technology Transfer | Comments Off on 400 reasons to consider alternatives to the now standard model

What the university doing research was built for

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Gerald Barnett

[update 9/2/2016. I’ve rebuilt the middle section of this article to do a better job with the numbers. I built a little model in Excel and have included snapshots from it in the text. Once the model is in better … Continue reading →

Posted in Metrics, Policy, Technology Transfer | 1 Comment

The University Inventor’s Prayer

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Gerald Barnett

Psalm 23 includes the lines: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Through some strange time warp, … Continue reading →

Posted in Policy, Technology Transfer | Tagged | Comments Off on The University Inventor’s Prayer