The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) provides direct support to faculty and students for all aspects of intellectual property protection and commercialization. While commercialization is typically construed to involve the outright sale of patent rights or licensing of those rights for fees or royalties, it can also include sale of subscription services, and offering services for a fee.  The Director of ORSP is available for consultation and works with several outside IP law firms which provide patent prosecution services, including consultation.  Together the inventors, Director, and outside counsel manage the best path toward commercialization.

Mission

To educate the university community about intellectual property, encourage faculty, students, and staff to develop and refine commercializable ideas, facilitate protection of IP developed by university employees alone or jointly with collaborators, and transfer the benefits of the IP to the public through commercialization.

Vision

To nurture a culture of discovery and innovation in which creation of intellectual property and its subsequent commercialization are a recognized and valued aspect of the research enterprise.

Values

To implement the goals of the University's Academic Master Plan related to the IP&C mission with the following values:

• Excellence in research, scholarship, and creative projects
• Productive internal and external collaborations and partnerships
• Success in academic and professional careers of faculty and their students
• Opportunities for student-centered learning