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contributes to greater inclusion in the innovation Institutional Structures
ecosystem. Differences between academic structures and
industry networks also influence patenting behavior.
STEM Education Academic organizations tend to be more top-down.
Ensuring that women, people of color, and low- Tenure and promotion decisions, research oppor-
er-income individuals have access to high quality tunities, grants, and opportunities to collaborate
education is an important first step. Encouraging with other researchers are often determined based
more gender, race, and income diversity in the most on status, title, and seniority. By contrast, certain
patent-intensive STEM fields in colleges and gradu- industry networks tend to be more collaborative, with
ate schools — mechanical engineering and electrical industry inventors more able to expand or form new
engineering — helps close the portion of the patent relationships on their own without “permission” or
gaps attributable to gaps in education. STEM educa- explicit support from their institutions. This positions
tion in primary and secondary schools also plays an certain industry inventors, in particular, to expand
important role. Moreover, private programs that pro- their networks and increase the potential universe of
mote exposure to STEM fields are a key component. partners for research and development projects that
For example, the Qualcomm Thinkabit Lab offers could lead to patented inventions (13).
daylong STEM programs for elementary and second- In the university context, much of the band-
ary school classes, free of charge, to expose children to width that women academics devote to research
careers in science and engineering, “careers they may is expended on academic publishing rather than
not know exist” (12). Programs like Thinkabit, Girls patenting efforts. Including patents as a key part of
Who Code, and Girl Develop It are key to ensuring tenure and promotion decisions for STEM faculty will
that children of all backgrounds learn about STEM likely encourage more women and faculty of color
opportunities early. to patent. Relatedly, inventors should actively seek
to work on mixed-gender research and development
Mentorship and Social Networking teams. Beyond promoting inclusion in innovation,
However, education is only part of the solution. mixed gender teams produce higher-quality patents
Mentorships and social networks also play signifi- as measured by patent citations (7).
cant roles in encouraging the commercialization of Truly closing the gaps will require conscious
invention. Social networks are key to helping inven- effort and institutional change in academia, indus-
tors “evaluat[e] whether it would be worthwhile to try, government, and other institutions that support
pursue a patent” in the first place since an inventor inventors. At the university level, technology transfer
is likely to first seek advice from his or her own peers offices exist to help researchers patent and commer-
(7). Moreover, for women in particular, the relative cialize their inventions. For women and people of
“exclusion from STEM fields” has led to limited avail- color, whose access to social networks is more limited,
able mentorship opportunities and networks. Because technology transfer offices can prove especially valu-
women tend to seek other women as mentors, and able to help navigate the patenting process and grow
females in positions to act as mentors for inventors their networks (17). Both universities and industries
are limited in supply, it is harder for women to find need to do more to build collaborative networks that
other women inventors to advise them (7). Another encourage inclusive inventing teams.
study found that children are more likely to patent
in the technology area in which their parents work, Exposure to Innovation
suggesting that “the network of people in the firm Mere exposure to other inventors is another way
and industry could influence what careers young to help close the gaps. The children of inventors are
people are interested in studying and pursuing later nearly ten times more likely to become inventors than
in life” (11). children of non-inventors (11). Likewise, children
who grow up in “innovation-intensive” areas, such as
Northern California, New England, New York City,