Intellectual Property Ownership in a University Setting
Drilling through hard rock to explore for underground oil and gas is especially complicated in geographic areas where the sub-layer is full of dense and impenetrable rock. Charlie Scent, an Engineering Professor working at a university, undertook research to solve this dilemma and developed a solution after approximately 20 years of effort. To commercialize the technology, Scent collaborated with one of his PhD students and formed a company. Through the commercialization process, friction developed among the participants—Scent, the graduate student, and the university. This discord brought to light several important questions regarding intellectual property that is created in a university setting. This case is about who owns intellectual property and decreasing the probability that there will be friction between the individuals who are at the heart of an invention.