Event summary

May 22, 2024

9:00 a.m. ET - 4:30 p.m. ET

United States Patent and Trademark Office

600 Dulany Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

Add to Calendar2024-05-22 09:00:002024-05-22 09:00:00Dialogue on intellectual property and space commercialization Are you interested in learning more about the intersection of intellectual property (IP) and the growing commercial space sector? Join us in person or virtually for this free one-day program that will bring together industry experts, policy advisors, and IP professionals to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of space commercialization and its related IP considerations.Topics will include:An overview of the current landscape in space commercialization.An examination of IP and space law, including both national and international frameworks.Valuable insights into collaborative research and development and licensing strategies.Exploration of opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises and startups.There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. Registration to attend in person will close May 15. Registration for online attendance remains open.Register todayAgenda Agenda subject to change 9:00 – 9:15 a.m. Welcome and opening remarksKathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office9:15 – 10:30 a.m. Session 1: The current state of space commercializationPanelists:Gabriel Swiney, Director, Policy, Advocacy, and International Division, Office of Space Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Angela Hart, Manager, Commercial Low Earth Orbit Program, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) [virtual]Mary Guenther, Vice President, Space Policy, Commercial Spaceflight FederationKaren Jones, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Space Policy and Strategy Joel Graham, Partner, Meeks, Butera & IsraelModerator:Melissa Haapala, Vice Chief Administrative Patent Judge, Patent Trial and Appeal Board, USPTO10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Break10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Session 2: Intellectual property and space law: National and international perspectivesPanelists:Nicholas Pairolero, Senior Research Economist, Office of the Chief Economist, USPTOKurt Hammerle, Senior Patent Attorney, NASAMichelle L.D. Hanlon, Professor of Practice and Executive Director, Center for Air and Space Law, University of Mississippi School of LawRachel Lovejoy, Senior Counsel, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)Steven Wood, Senior of Counsel, Vela Wood; Founding Advisory Board Member, Association of Commercial Space ProfessionalsAmna Al Owais, Chief Registrar, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts of SpaceModerator:Peter N. Fowler, Senior Counsel for Enforcement, Office of Policy and International Affairs, USPTO12:15 – 1:30 p.m. Break1:30 – 2:45 p.m. Session 3: Collaborative R&D and licensing Panelists:Joe Fleishman, Senior Patent Attorney, Commercial and Intellectual Property Law Practice Group, Office of the General Counsel, NASAMeredith Schoenfeld, Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, National Science Foundation (NSF)Brian P. O'Shaughnessy, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP; Senior Vice President for Public Policy, Licensing Executives Society, USA & Canada, Inc.Armin T. Rad, Ph.D., CEO & Co-founder, Encapsulate Inc [virtual]Moderator:Vu Nguyen, Attorney-Advisor, Office of Policy and International Affairs, USPTO2:45 – 3:00 p.m. Break3:00 – 4:15 p.m. Session 4: Opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises and startupsPanelists:Damian Taylor, Deputy Program Executive, Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR), Early-Stage Innovations and Partnerships, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASAAnna Brady-Estevez, Program Director, America’s Seed Fund, National Science FoundationScott Griffin, Director, Entrepreneurial Programs and Talent, Ohio State University [virtual]Bridget Smith, Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, Relativity Space [virtual]Paul Stimers, Partner, Holland & KnightModerator:Parikha Mehta, Special Advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director, USPTO4:15 – 4:30 p.m. Closing remarks Additional informationFor more information, visit the registration page or contact Lakeshia Harley in the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs.This program is presented by the USPTO’s Global Intellectual Property Academy, a unit of the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA). The office advises the administration and other federal government departments and agencies on domestic and international IP legal and policy issues. It also provides technical assistance and training on IP-related matters to U.S. stakeholders and both U.S. and foreign government officials. United States Patent and Trademark Office 600 Dulany Street Alexandria, VA 22314 United States United States Patent and Trademark Office 600 Dulany Street Alexandria, VA 22314 United States United States Patent and Trademark OfficeAmerica/New_Yorkpublic

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Dialogue on intellectual property and space commercialization

Are you interested in learning more about the intersection of intellectual property (IP) and the growing commercial space sector? Join us in person or virtually for this free one-day program that will bring together industry experts, policy advisors, and IP professionals to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of space commercialization and its related IP considerations.

Topics will include:

An overview of the current landscape in space commercialization.
An examination of IP and space law, including both national and international frameworks.
Valuable insights into collaborative research and development and licensing strategies.
Exploration of opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises and startups.

There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. Registration to attend in person will close May 15. Registration for online attendance remains open.

Agenda

Agenda subject to change

9:00 – 9:15 a.m. Welcome and opening remarks

Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office

9:15 – 10:30 a.m. Session 1: The current state of space commercialization

Panelists:

Gabriel Swiney, Director, Policy, Advocacy, and International Division, Office of Space Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Angela Hart, Manager, Commercial Low Earth Orbit Program, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) [virtual]
Mary Guenther, Vice President, Space Policy, Commercial Spaceflight Federation
Karen Jones, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Space Policy and Strategy
Joel Graham, Partner, Meeks, Butera & Israel

Moderator:

Melissa Haapala, Vice Chief Administrative Patent Judge, Patent Trial and Appeal Board, USPTO

10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Session 2: Intellectual property and space law: National and international perspectives

Panelists:

Nicholas Pairolero, Senior Research Economist, Office of the Chief Economist, USPTO
Kurt Hammerle, Senior Patent Attorney, NASA
Michelle L.D. Hanlon, Professor of Practice and Executive Director, Center for Air and Space Law, University of Mississippi School of Law
Rachel Lovejoy, Senior Counsel, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)
Steven Wood, Senior of Counsel, Vela Wood; Founding Advisory Board Member, Association of Commercial Space Professionals
Amna Al Owais, Chief Registrar, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts of Space

Moderator:

Peter N. Fowler, Senior Counsel for Enforcement, Office of Policy and International Affairs, USPTO

12:15 – 1:30 p.m. Break

1:30 – 2:45 p.m. Session 3: Collaborative R&D and licensing

Panelists:

Joe Fleishman, Senior Patent Attorney, Commercial and Intellectual Property Law Practice Group, Office of the General Counsel, NASA
Meredith Schoenfeld, Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, National Science Foundation (NSF)
Brian P. O'Shaughnessy, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP; Senior Vice President for Public Policy, Licensing Executives Society, USA & Canada, Inc.
Armin T. Rad, Ph.D., CEO & Co-founder, Encapsulate Inc [virtual]

Moderator:

Vu Nguyen, Attorney-Advisor, Office of Policy and International Affairs, USPTO

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. Break

3:00 – 4:15 p.m. Session 4: Opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises and startups

Panelists:

Damian Taylor, Deputy Program Executive, Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR), Early-Stage Innovations and Partnerships, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA
Anna Brady-Estevez, Program Director, America’s Seed Fund, National Science Foundation
Scott Griffin, Director, Entrepreneurial Programs and Talent, Ohio State University [virtual]
Bridget Smith, Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, Relativity Space [virtual]
Paul Stimers, Partner, Holland & Knight

Moderator:

Parikha Mehta, Special Advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director, USPTO

4:15 – 4:30 p.m. Closing remarks

Additional information

For more information, visit the registration page or contact Lakeshia Harley in the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs.

This program is presented by the USPTO’s Global Intellectual Property Academy, a unit of the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA). The office advises the administration and other federal government departments and agencies on domestic and international IP legal and policy issues. It also provides technical assistance and training on IP-related matters to U.S. stakeholders and both U.S. and foreign government officials.

Accessibility accommodation

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please submit your request to the contact information listed above.