“The Patent and Trademark Office Society is a great organization because the members really support it, and the board puts in the extra effort to make events educational, fun, and exciting.”
If you ask Kang why he pursued a patent examiner position with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), his answer will be simple—“Word of mouth.” Kang received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. When a college friend recommended the USPTO as a great place to work that would present the opportunity to see the latest inventions, learn about innovative technologies and provide flexible work hours, Kang knew it was the place he wanted to be.
Eleven years later, Kang is a supervisory patent examiner who oversees the work of junior patent examiners in the area of amusement devices and games. A typical work day involves discussing cases with his junior examiners and guiding them in conducting patent applicant interviews, reviewing cases, handling patent appeal conferences, and working on projects to reach USPTO strategic goals.
Flashback to 2007 when Kang was still a patent examiner. In October of that year, he joined the Patent and Trademark Office Society (PTOS) because he wanted to meet people from different parts of the USPTO, attend cultural and social events, affect changes within the agency, and access the quarterly journal PTOS publishes about various patent-related issues. According to Kang, “PTOS is a great organization because the members really support it, and the board puts in the extra effort to make events educational, fun, and exciting.”
In 2013, Kang became an at-large representative within the PTOS, which means he is responsible for supporting the organization and its purpose within the USPTO. He pursued a leadership role within the organization because he wanted to help create and organize engaging events and activities for his peers to enjoy.
Kang says, “If you work at the USPTO, and you want the opportunity to meet new people while enjoying fun activities, you should consider joining the PTOS. We welcome you, and the decision to join us is not one you will regret."