Working with the OIM

Universities are important sources of innovation / discovery that improve quality of life, fortify industrial partners, produce jobs and improve National competitiveness. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette recognizes that academic research and scholarship should be encouraged without regard to potential gain from licensing fees, royalties, or other income; however, UL Lafayette also recognizes that Intellectual Properties (IP) and discoveries with economic value may arise from the activities of faculty, staff, and students in the course of their University activities and duties. Accordingly, UL Lafayette provides the Office of Innovation Management (OIM) to prudently manage all aspects of University IP, innovations and discoveries. The OIM “mines” new, innovative ideas in every department across our campus; secures appropriate protections; accelerates the development of these assets; and assures that benefits of discovery accrue to innovators.

Prudent & Timely Intellecutal Property Disclosure

IP is an important asset that must be prudently managed. Disclosure of IP to the University should occur as soon as it is clear that reportable intellectual property (IP) has been created or is likely to be created. As an innovator considers a Research Plan, it is possible to anticipate the type of IP that might eventuate and the appropriate form of IP protection. Timely disclosure provides innovators and the University opportunity to protect the IP before public disclosure (e.g., publications, proceedings, oral and poster presentation, thesis). The process of seeking effective IP protections should never result in a publication delay. And, early disclosure is particularly important when more than one creator or one institution is involved.

Disclosure of IP to the University is performed by completion of a UL Lafayette IP Disclosure Form and submission to the OIM (soft- or hardcopy). The UL Lafayette IP Disclosure Form has been designed to simplify the process of communicating new observations and technology disclosures to the OIM. Disclosed IP will be reviewed by the OIM and possibly by external legal counsel under terms of confidentiality. This review will serve as the basis for further discussions with the inventors / creators about ownership, protection, development, commercialization and marketing of the IP.

What Must Be Disclosed?

The concept of IP includes inventions, discoveries, know-how, show-how, processes, unique materials, copyrightable works, original data, and other creative or artistic works that have economic value, and also the physical embodiments of intellectual effort such as models, machines, devices, computer programs and visualizations, biological materials, and chemicals. All IP that has the potential to be brought into practical use for public benefit must be reported if;

• the work is related to the employee’s academic/professional field or job responsibilities,
• the intellectual property results from research supported by federal funds or other third party sponsorship,
• the employee is hired or commissioned to create such work, or
• more than incidental use of institutional resources is involved.

Note: A Disclosure Form must be submitted even if the work was done on personal time (including weekends, semester breaks, summers), or while consulting for a private business or public agency, or away from the university campus. Exception: Traditional copyrightable works for academic purposes (such as papers published in professional journals or conference proceedings, scholarly books, or notes for a class one is teaching) need not be reported.

Uncertainty

If you are uncertain whether disclosable IP has been created or have other OIM related question, please contact us at 337-735-5483 or review the OIM FAQ page.