Director of USPTO Speaks on Women and Innovation at Politico Summit

On December 9, 2015, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Michelle K. Lee issued a call for more women inventors while speaking at the POLITICO – Women Rule Annual Summit in Washington D.C. She participated in a panel moderated by Nancy Scola, Technology Reporter at POLITICO on Women and Innovation – What Does it Take?, that focused on tackling the lack of women represented in the science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM) fields. Director Lee was joined by Brenna Berman, Commissioner & CIO, Department of Innovation & Technology, City of Chicago; Donna Harris, Founder and Co-CEO, 1776; and Erie Meyer, Co-Founder, Tech LadyMafia and Senior Advisor to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

The panelists brought varied backgrounds—public service in local and federal government as well as entrepreneurship—but all agreed that both men and women share responsibilities in helping girls and women succeed in STEM fields. Sharing their own personal experiences, the panelists cited methods to acknowledge and address unconscious bias, facilitate mentoring for all ages, and spark the natural curiosity of our nation’s youth.

Director Lee stressed that this issue is an economic imperative. Currently there are half a million U.S. information technology job openings that pay 50 percent more than the average private-sector job, yet far too many women are filling those jobs. She and others also stressed the importance of having diverse teams, which studies show increase productivity and creative thinking.

“As the first woman to lead the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in our country’s 225+ year history, I am passionate about expanding opportunities for women and girls because I understand that we cannot grow this economy to its full potential unless we ensure that no innovator or entrepreneur is left behind,” said Lee.

Director Michelle Lee was recognized in 2015 by POLITICO Magazine as one of the “Top 50 Most Influential Visionaries in American Public Policy” and by Washingtonian Magazine as a “Tech Titan” in 2015.

Learn more about what the USPTO is doing to encourage women at all stages – from girls to entrepreneurs – to pursue STEM degrees and work in STEM careers for the benefit of our economy and society on the All in STEM page of the USPTO website.

Watch the recorded event here.