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Figure 3. National Inventors Hall of Fame’s (NIHF) “Invent Girl Power” initiative, designed to educate parents about the importance
of introducing young girls to innovation at an early age and to encourage them to get the girls in their lives to explore STEM. Image
courtesy of NIHF.
Figure 1. Exhibit celebrating women innovators at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Va.,
in March 2017. Photo by Jay Premack/USPTO.
with experts in the IP field, as well as government sponsor programs to encourage creativity, explora-
and industry representatives, to give attendees greater tion, and inventiveness in people of all ages, including
In the U.S., less than 25% of the STEM workforce Furthermore, the USPTO’s Pro Se Assistance Pro- insight into all facets of the patent process. children, teachers, parents, college students, and inde-
comprises women (2), and the USPTO’s patent exam- gram provides resources to those who file patent Finally, the USPTO also invests in the country’s pendent inventors.
next generation of innovators by partnering with NIHF runs a series of education programs spe-
ining corps is 27% women. While there is significant applications without the assistance of a registered
room to improve there, female patent examiners tend patent attorney or agent. educators and nonprofits to teach, promote, and cifically designed to inspire a child’s creativity and
encourage invention and IP protection to children problem solving skills while also showcasing living
to stay in their careers. In the general workforce, of all ages and backgrounds. Children who grow up inventors as role models. Originally starting with a
50% of women who originally work in STEM leave with more exposure to innovation are more likely summer camp for elementary school children called
after 12 years (compared to 20% of other profes- to become inventors themselves (5). Initiatives that Camp Invention in 1990, NIHF has since expanded
sional women), and the majority of them move out support the inclusion of girls in STEM and inven- their hands-on STEM and IP curriculum to annually
of STEM within the first five years (3). At the USPTO, tion at an early age can contribute to closing the gap reach 140,000 preschool to high school students in
after 12 years, there is less than 5% attrition for both between men and women inventors. all 50 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. These
men and women patent examiners. Working with the Girl Scout Council of the programs include summer camps and after-school
In addition to supporting a diverse workforce, the Nation’s Capital in collaboration with the Intellec- programs for students of all ages and backgrounds.
USPTO encourages women innovators and entrepre- tual Property Owners Education Foundation, the What makes these programs unique compared
neurs across the county to protect their intellectual USPTO created a patch program on IP and innova- to other STEM school programs is that they have
property (IP). Women hold an extremely small share tion. To earn the IP patch, young women learn about specific IP and entrepreneurial components in addi-
of patents (fewer than one in five patents names a the fundamentals of patents, trademarks, and copy- tion to hands-on creative problem solving training.
woman inventor), and findings suggest that, at the Figure 2. A 2017 Camp Invention at Ursuline Academy, an all- rights and then put their innovative spirits to work Every year, the curriculum is developed with an eye
current rate, gender parity for patent holders is more girls school in New Orleans. Students learned about terra- on creating a new product. Girls of all ages start by to including stories and inspiration from the NIHF
forming exoplanets, built circuits, and created product prototypes.
than 75 years away. One of the recommendations to Photo courtesy of National Inventors Hall of Fame. learning about the basics of IP and then grow to learn inductees. Inductees share with students their own
increase women’s share of patents is to offer them about product design and entrepreneurship skills. personal journeys — what inspired them as children
assistance with patenting costs (4). To support those In March 2018, the USPTO’s Office of Innovation The National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) and how they failed, iterated, explored, and ultimately
efforts, the USPTO’s Patent Pro Bono program seeks Development held its annual Women’s Entrepreneur- has been a strong USPTO partner, helping to pro- achieved their goals.
to match under-resourced independent inventors ship Symposium, which focused on women inventors, mote invention across all age groups since the 1970s. Research suggests that if girls are exposed to
and small businesses with free or reduced cost legal entrepreneurs, and the importance of IP. The sympo- Together, NIHF and USPTO induct extraordinary, women inventors at the same rate that boys are
assistance in preparing and filing patent applications. sium was designed to offer networking opportunities world-changing inventors to the Hall of Fame and exposed to male ones, the gender gap in innovation