CMI joins USPTO for 40th Anniversary Celebration of Utah's Patent & Trademark Resource Center (PTRC)
No birthday party should be complete without cake and .... patents?
That was the case on Sept 24, 2024 as students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and local community members gathered at the Marriott Library at the University of Utah to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Utah's first Patent & Trademark Resource Center (PTRC). Offering
The event was the first of the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) "Create & Innovate Tour", a multi-stop campaign at libraries across the country to highlight the impact of PTRCs on the local economy and in support of innovation.
“As extensions of the USPTO and its regional outreach offices, PTRCs provide essential resources – at the local community level – to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, and opportunities for all creators in the U.S. innovation system” said Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. "We don’t want PTRCs to be the best-kept secret in innovation – we want everyone to know that there’s a key resource right in their backyard that can help them start and grow a business and protect their intellectual property."
Vidal shared high praise for the University of Utah and its longstanding history of patent success, providing several summary stats of patents generated since the U’s founding in 1850. She also highlighted some of the earliest patents in Utah, including for an improved agricultural plow, granted in 1863.
Following Vidal’s remarks, CMI Program Manager Amanda LeMatty joined Director Vidal for a panel discussion on the topic of “Intellectual Property as a Public Good”. They were joined by fellow panelist Bryce Hansen, Associate Director of Salt Lake Small Business Development Center, as well as moderator Nick Cockrell, Managing Director of Community Engagement at the Hinckley Institute of Politics.
After the panel concluded, attendees were encouraged to network, attend hands-on demos of IP related searches, and, of course, enjoy some birthday cake for the PTRC
