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Additional Considerations for Faculty Inventors

As you approach the technology transfer process, you should be aware of two issues.

Most researchers underestimate the value of their inventiveness. We find that many researchers dismiss their own inventions as trivial or obvious, thereby overlooking great potential. Fortunately, the realities of patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and other forms of intellectual property protection allow distinctions to be made between the old and the new. If you tell us about your ideas, it is our job to determine the potential of the given intellectual property. We can also help identify ways in which your inventions and discoveries can be turned into profitable products and services.

Giving ideas away finds few takers. Publishing without first filing patents often guarantees that a discovery will be ignored by industry. This is because commercialization is such a costly and complex endeavor that even the “perfect” business partner will hesitate to be the first to make or market a product that is already available in the public domain. 

Contact Us

For more information regarding technology transfer issues for faculty, please contact:

Dr. Robert Sweitzer
Director
UNLV Office of Technology Transfer
RAB 106
Email: robert.sweitzer@unlv.edu
Phone: 895-5082

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