International exchange: Promoting the inclusion of women in intellectual property

Studies of patent data conducted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the USPTO, and others have shown that women inventors are significantly underrepresented in the patent system worldwide. Moreover, despite an increased number of women entering the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields in recent years, there remains a large gap between the number of women entering these fields and men, and this has led to fewer women participating in the intellectual property (IP) system overall.

Topics will include:

· Strategies for increasing the participation of women in the IP system

· How to recruit, retain, and promote women in IP fields

Presenters will include leading officials from the USPTO, IP Australia, the Canadian IP Office, the IP Office of the Philippines, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, the IP Office of New Zealand, the Industrial Property Protection Directorate of Jordan, and other national offices.