Happy Anniversary! Rice’s PTRC celebrated its 45th anniversary in July. Hope Shimabuku, Regional Director of the Texas Regional Office USPTO, joined us for a fireside chat with Phillip E. Page, Professor of Law, of the South Texas College of Law’s Trademark legal clinic. We presented a history of the Rice PTRC/PTDL/PDL and taught a short class on Patent Public Search. While the turnout was small, Hannah intended the event to mark a new era in the PTRC, and serve as a catalyst for increased activity, visibility, and community engagement.
Immediately following the 45th anniversary event, Hannah taught classes for external groups like the Houston Inventors Alliance and took part in an August webinar with SBA Houston, where she presented information about the PTRC program, its Texas locations, and recommended a few PTRC LibGuidesand websites.
We opened a department Instagram account, featuring general news but still lots about PTRC topics (like a fun video of us destroying our SEAS fobs!). Follow us: @ricekelleycenter
We participated in a library-wide Halloween “trick or treat” event, and featured Creepy IP for students to browse while collecting candy.
Hannah is currently teaching an IP course series as part of the Open Accelerator program at the new Ion Houston, an entrepreneur center in Houston’s midtown Ion District.
What’s next? We have a large exhibit featuring patents assigned to Rice U in 2022, and on April 5th, Patent Commissioner Vaishali Udupa will be participating in a symposium sponsored by the PTRC, Ion, and Rice Center for Engineering Leadership.
