We've helped spread the word about intellectual property (IP) at South by Southwest (SXSW) in years past and are already looking forward to 2018. Tell us what you'd like to see from us next year by voting for your favorite proposals using the SXSW PanelPicker. Deadline to vote is August 25.
1) Create a free SXSW account
2) Vote and comment on the panels you'd like to see
Cyborg Gov: Humans and High Tech in Public Service
#AskTSA about that Kimchi in your carry-on. Let a chatbot named Emma answer your green card questions. Share #allthefeels about college financial aid – and get back the perfect reaction GIF from FAFSA. Meet the humans behind accounts at TSA, UCIS, FSA and USPTO that meld technology with old fashioned customer service, and hear how they’ve combined data, technology, and psionic-level people skills to create a hybrid model that may be the future of accessible, approachable government services.
Speakers:
- Laura Larrimore, Senior Digital Strategist, USPTO
- David Johnston, Social Media Strategist, Transportation Security Administration
- Nicole Callahan, Digital Engagement Strategist, U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid
- Vashon Citizen, Acting Chief, Customer Engagement Solutions Branch, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Lessons Learned from Battles over Beer Names
What’s in a name? In the craft brewing industry, the answer is A LOT, as small and large breweries go to court over beer naming rights. Hear stories of what’s happened in the American craft beer industry and learn lessons on how you can obtain and use registered trademarks to build a valuable brand and better protect your products and services. A panel of brewery owners and trademark gurus will share these stories and know-how. Afterward, talk to experts about the TM process.
Speakers:
- Mary Denison, Commissioner for Trademarks, USPTO
- Bill Butcher, Owner of Port City Brewing Company, Alexandria, VA
- Brendan Palfreyman, Attorney with Harris Beach PLLC, Syracuse, NY
Dying of Thirst: Solving Water Purification
Millions worldwide are at risk of death and disease from a lack of clean water. While a safe water supply is often taken for granted in developed countries, it’s a daily life-threatening challenge in some areas of the world. Is this an issue we can resolve in our lifetime, and how effective is it to help from afar versus empowering local communities to implement change? The panel will look at who is making an impact and what innovations are paving the way towards making water purification accessible, safe, and affordable.
Speakers:
- Ashok Gadgil, Physicist and Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee
- Benjamin S. Hsiao, Founding Co-Director of Innovative Global Energy Solutions Center and AAAS Invention Ambassador
Breaking Stereotypes and Glass Slippers
Hear from the women in science who are shaping and shaking up our world - their roads to success, challenges, and how they've seen the landscape for women in STEM change. How can we encourage more women inventors and patent holders? Why are young girls inspired to enter STEM fields? The panel will look at what areas we need more innovation in, where the most potential lies for advances, and how engaging the ingenuity of 50% of our population can make that happen.
Speakers:
- Kristina Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Cube Hydro Partners, LLC, and National Inventors Hall of Fame inductee
- Frances Arnold, Evolutionary Engineer and National Inventors Hall of Fame inductee
H.O.T. Healthcare Opportunities Through Technology
Quality healthcare is of importance to all. The question arises though as to what healthcare of the future will look like as technologies develop to modernize general and personalized medicine. How will these technologies assist the medical profession in curing and eliminating disease and ailments of today and tomorrow? This panel of experts will discuss advances in technology which have and will revolutionize healthcare now, and in the near and distant future.
Speakers:
- Rick Hamilton, Distinguished Engineer, UnitedHealth Group, and AAAS Invention Ambassador
- Andrew Hessel, Distinguished Researcher, Bio/Nano/Programmable Matter, Autodesk Inc., and AAAS Invention Ambassador
- Frances Arnold, Evolutionary Engineer and National Inventors Hall of Fame inductee
Mother Nature is the Mother of Invention
From VELCRO® to spider web glass to the technology that captures our environment, nature has inspired and influenced innovators to create and invent. Learn about the mother of invention - NATURE, and how inventors answer human challenges with biomimicry.
Speakers:
- Louie Schwartzberg, Founder, Moving Art, and AAAS Invention Ambassador
- Paul Stamets, President and Founder, Fungi Perfecti, and AAAS Invention Ambassador
Big Data & AI Doing More with Less in Gov't
Can cognitive technologies & big data make government better? AI-based programs can help agencies cut costs, free up millions of labor hours for more critical tasks, and deliver better, faster services. Cognitive technologies will eventually fundamentally change how government works, and changes will come much sooner than many think. Policymakers, too, face choices about how to apply these technologies and government leaders should consider which choices will maximize public value for taxpayers.
Speaker:
Thomas A. Beach, Chief Data Strategist and Portfolio Manager of Digital Services and Big Data, USPTO
Band Brands – Where Will You be When the Music Stops?
Nirvana. The Beatles. The Stones. Music Icons. Lucrative Brands. You think of intellectual property protection for your music, but what about for the brand you are building? Representatives from the USPTO and the Texas Music Office will discuss how to build and protect your band’s valuable brand with real world examples of brands that have gone global. What happens to that brand if the music stops and members go their separate ways.
Speakers:
- Hope Shimabuku, Director of the Texas Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- Brendon Anthony, Director of the Texas Music Office
IP to IPO – Integrating IP into your Strategy
Starting a business is both thrilling and overwhelming. Identifying and protecting your intellectual property assets early is often the key to later success. In this session, led by the USPTO, in collaboration with the Licensing Executives Society, learn how to integrate an IP strategy into your overall business plan and have the opportunity to ask questions one-on-one with these subject matter experts.
Speakers:
- Hope Shimabuku, Director of the Texas Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- Mark Smith, Licensing Executives Society, Austin, TX
- Jitendra Jain, Office of Technology Commercialization, University of Texas at Austin
Help from Your Friends - Crowdfunding and IP
A successful crowdfunding campaign can be the difference between boom and bust for your startup. But, there are important things to think about before you start your campaign—namely the effects crowdfunding campaigns can have on your IP rights and business strategy. Representatives from the USPTO will discuss best practices for protecting your ideas while obtaining the capital that will finance your dreams.
Speaker:
Hope Shimabuku, Director of the Texas Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office