UNM Rainforest Innovations (UNMRI) recently had the honor of hosting Hope Shimabuku, Regional Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) Southwest Regional Outreach Office. Across her three-day visit in late April, Hope engaged with our community through a series of talks that drew from her expertise on intellectual property law and the practical needs of innovators.
As Regional Director, Hope carries out strategic initiatives from the USPTO and is responsible for leading the Southwest office. Focusing on the region and actively engaging with the community, Hope ensures the USPTO’s initiatives and programs are tailored to the region’s unique ecosystem of industries and stakeholders. She received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and graduated cum laude with a J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.
Reflecting on the purpose of her office’s outreach, Hope shared, “Intellectual property is part of that arc from idea to impact. The patent system exists to protect creative work while encouraging the sharing of knowledge so others can build on it. When you file for protection, you are doing two things at once: preserving the economic potential of your invention and documenting the technical step that the next innovator will use to go farther. That is how individual ingenuity becomes collective progress.”
Throughout her stay, Hope attended and shared her insights at three events. The first was her talk at Lisa Kuuttila’s class, Technology Commercialization: From Idea/Invention to Market. Lisa is the CEO & Chief Economic Development Officer of UNMRI and this course at the University of New Mexico explores the development and commercialization of an idea or invention.
The second event she attended was the Innovation Awards ceremony as a guest speaker. This event celebrates the achievements of University of New Mexico (UNM) faculty, staff, and students who have received issued U.S. patents, trademarks, or copyrights over the past year. This year’s ceremony awarded 48 inventor honorees for their discoveries.
Lastly, Hope spoke at a UNMRI seminar, A Legal Guide to Patentability Versus Freedom to Operate. This was hosted in-person at the Lobo Rainforest and included three additional speakers: Christopher D. Gram, M.S., J.D.; Karen H. Ohlfest, Ph.D., J.D.; and Alfonso Garcia Chan, M.S.E., J.D. The seminar covered the common questions that innovators face from getting a patent to moving their technology into the market. Watch part 1 of the talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKNYpdkPDuw; and part 2 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6f5GiPZy_E.
Thank you to Hope for visiting UNM Rainforest Innovations and offering her unique expertise.