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discoveries with the private sector to fuel economic academic advantage: gender disparities in pat-
growth and enhance societal well-being. By failing to enting. PLOS One. 2015;10(5):e0128000.
engage female faculty, many breakthrough research 4. Quinn G. The patent gender gap goes beyond
discoveries will not reach the market, resulting in an fewer women in math and sciences. IP
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society. We are encouraged that AUTM is now asking 11]. http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2016/09/ 21/
TTOs to begin tracking gender data on invention the-patent-gender-gap-goes-beyond-fewer-
disclosures and patents, with the hope of collecting women-in-math-and-sciences/.
this information in the future. 5. Shen H. Inequality quantified: mind the gender
We propose that, by being mindful of the gen- gap. Nature News. 2013;495(7439):22.
der gap in inventorship, TTOs that incorporate 6. Kaatz A, Lee Y, Potvien A, Magua W, Filut A,
thoughtful modifications to their communication, Bhattacharya A, Leatherberry R, Zhu X, Carnes
outreach, and mentoring programs can increase the M. Analysis of NIH R01 application critiques,
participation of women faculty in the patent process. impact and criteria scores: does the sex of the
Providing information and role models at all stages of principal investigator make a difference? Acad
the commercialization process can expand the variety Med. 2016;91(8):1080-8.
of motives attractive to less conventional entre- 7. Stanford Medicine: News Center. Transgender
preneurs and alleviate the hesitation of women to experience led Stanford scientist to critique gen-
engage in technology transfer and commercialization. der difference. Stanford (CA): Stanford University.
Although this article has focused on gender dispar- [2006 Jul 12; 2017 Sep 11]. https://www.science-
ities, creating an open and inclusive environment daily.com/releases/2006/07/060714174545.htm.
for all innovators will increase the overall diversity 8. Haynes C. What is the “Matilda effect,” and how
of the participants in the innovation pipeline—with can we improve recognition of women scientists?
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 9. Rossiter MW. The Matthew-Matilda effect in
The authors would like to thank Assistant Director science. Soc Studies Sci. 1993;23(2):325-41.
for Technology Commercialization at North Carolina 10. Correll S. Gender and the career choice pro-
State University Amanda Ottaway for providing the cess: the role of biased self‐assessments. Amer
data on the university’s intellectual property activity. J Sociol. 2001;106(6):1691-730.
FL also thanks entrepreneur Ross Lampe for spon- 11. Ehrlinger J, Dunning D. How chronic self-views
soring her university chair. influence (and potentially mislead) estimates of
performance. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003;84(1):5-
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