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FAQ

How can faculty disclose inventions and other creative works?

USU faculty members can still submit invention disclosures, including descriptions of new technologies, biological materials, software or copyrightable materials, using the USU Inventor Portal
Any disclosure submitted through the Inventor Portal will be immediately forwarded to the Commercial Enterprises Intellectual Property Services team.

How will faculty disclosures be evaluated for commercial potential?

Disclosures for technologies, software, or other materials, will continue to be evaluated by the same essential criteria familiar to faculty members.
These criteria include market, patent and commercial potential.
Members of the IP Services team will work with faculty members to determine if commercial development is a desirable option for the disclosed intellectual property.

How will faculty members know their disclosure has been received and is being processed?

Use of the new USU Inventor Portal will allow for a more transparent disclosure and technology evaluation process.
Disclosing parties will be able to track the initial receipt, and the progress of, their technology disclosure.
Intellectual Property Services offers USU Inventor Portal training seminars to faculty members and colleges. Please contact Laura Steinmeyer, laura.steinmeyer@usu.edu, to set up a seminar.

Who will handle outgoing Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) and Confidentiality Agreements (NDAs/CDAs)?

These types of agreements, formally handle by the Technology Commercialization Office, will now be handled by IP Services.
Note: The Sponsored Programs Office will continue to handle all incoming MTAs and Confidentiality Agreements.

Who is Commercial Enterprises?