Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property

Go For Real™ awarded silver and gold in two MarCom categories

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, October 19, 2023

McGruff dedicates these awards to the millions of people who take a bite out of crime everyday by only buying genuine products."

Key Points: 
  • McGruff dedicates these awards to the millions of people who take a bite out of crime everyday by only buying genuine products."
  • The "Think Again" PSA earned a platinum award, the highest recognition in the television category.
  • Go For Real TV, McGruff's debut YouTube series, received a gold award in the web video category.
  • MarCom Awards were selected by an international panel of experts by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals from more than 6,000 entries.

This Week in Policy & Public Interest News: 11 Stories You Need to See

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 22, 2023

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the policy and public interest industries stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

Key Points: 
  • Today, more than 30,000 youth are on the waiting list ready to be matched to a mentor ("Big") through BBBS.
  • The biggest hurdles of potential mentors are the perceived time and expertise required – inspiring the new BBBSA campaign and Merrell's public service announcement.
  • Subject Matter Experts: Access ProfNet , a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in your articles.
  • Related Resources: Read and subscribe to our journalist- and blogger-focused blog, Beyond Bylines , for media news roundups, writing tips, upcoming events, and more.

2023 Collegiate Inventors Competition Finalists Show Future of American Innovation

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 21, 2023

NORTH CANTON, Ohio, Sept. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Collegiate Inventors Competition® , an annual competition that has rewarded innovations, discoveries and research by college and university students and their faculty advisers for more than 30 years, announced today its 2023 finalists.

Key Points: 
  • NORTH CANTON, Ohio, Sept. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Collegiate Inventors Competition® , an annual competition that has rewarded innovations, discoveries and research by college and university students and their faculty advisers for more than 30 years, announced today its 2023 finalists.
  • This year's finalists and their inventions provide a glimpse into the future of American innovation and emerging technological trends — from providing immunity from avian influenza to hunger-regulating hormone modulation.
  • "The USPTO is proud to host the 2023 Collegiate Inventors Competition — a program where the brightest college minds will showcase inventions that will shape the future of American innovation," said Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO.
  • Established in 1990, the Collegiate Inventors Competition is a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and is sponsored by the USPTO, Arrow Electronics (Arrow Electronics People's Choice Award), and Honda.

McGruff the Crime Dog smells big crime with the sale of fake pills and other counterfeit products

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, September 19, 2023

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- McGruff the Crime Dog® takes direct aim at the sale of fake pills and other counterfeit products in a new public service announcement released today.

Key Points: 
  • WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- McGruff the Crime Dog® takes direct aim at the sale of fake pills and other counterfeit products in a new public service announcement released today.
  • The ad features three assembly lines making real and fake products including sneakers, cosmetics, and fake pills.
  • At the end, the iconic crime dog is revealed, urging viewers and listeners to "think again," before buying fake products.
  • "McGruff smells big crime around the sale of dangerous and lethal fake products," said Paul DelPonte, Executive Director at the National Crime Prevention Council.

The Council for Innovation Promotion (C4IP) Applauds Senators Tillis and Coons' Introduction of Bills to Kickstart American Innovation

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 22, 2023

"Senator Tillis and Senator Coons both clearly appreciate the importance of strong intellectual property rights as the foundation to our economic vitality -- and they deserve immense praise for introducing these bills," said Dave Kappos, board co-chair of C4IP and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director from 2009 to 2013. "C4IP applauds this legislation and hopes that members of both parties help turn it into law."

Key Points: 
  • WASHINGTON, June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Senators Thom Tillis and Chris Coons introduced two complementary bills to strengthen intellectual property rights in the United States.
  • C4IP strongly supports these bills, as they would act as vital safeguards to Americans' constitutionally enshrined IP rights.
  • "C4IP applauds this legislation and hopes that members of both parties help turn it into law."
  • "With the introduction of these critically important bills, Senators Coons and Tillis are leading the nation towards a more reliable and predictable patent system that will energize American inventors and help maximize our innovation output."

Students Gather as Winners of World’s Largest K-12 Science Competition

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Today, the national winners of the 31st annual ExploraVision program, the world’s largest K-12 science competition, gathered in Washington, DC to be formally recognized for their winning projects.

Key Points: 
  • Today, the national winners of the 31st annual ExploraVision program, the world’s largest K-12 science competition, gathered in Washington, DC to be formally recognized for their winning projects.
  • This competition is designed to help students develop skills emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards, including problem-solving, critical-thinking and collaboration skills.
  • The students will present to members of the press, their peers, parents, educators, previous ExploraVision winners, NSTA board and council members, and leaders in education policy.
  • Over 2,000 teams entered projects in the 31st Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competition, comprised of over 6,000 students from across the United States and Canada.

2022 Top 100 Worldwide University Patent Holders Announced by National Academy of Inventors

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 26, 2023

TAMPA, Fla., April 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of World IP Day, the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) will release its annual list of the Top 100 worldwide university utility patent holders on April 26th.

Key Points: 
  • TAMPA, Fla., April 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of World IP Day, the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) will release its annual list of the Top 100 worldwide university utility patent holders on April 26th.
  • The Academy has been releasing the rankings based on calendar year data provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office since 2013.
  • "Throughout its existence, the National Academy of Inventors has sought to quantify with hard data, the vital role research and patented technology developed at academic institutions play in our society", Dr. Paul Sanberg, President of the Academy noted.
  • In a change from past practice, the Academy has updated the requirements for the Top 100 placement to include all named inventors listed on the patent to provide a more comprehensive view of the patents held by these universities.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Kicks Off National Tour to Help Underrepresented Entrepreneurs

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 7, 2023

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in an effort to provide assistance to under-resourced inventors and small businesses will kick off its national tour by hosting a two-day event in Minneapolis through its Patent Pro Bono Program. The free event, co-presented by the USPTO and the Patent Pro Bono Advisory Council a 501(c)(3), will focus on helping under-resourced inventors gather information on how to file patents, access funding and eventually create more jobs.

Key Points: 
  • WASHINGTON, March 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in an effort to provide assistance to under-resourced inventors and small businesses will kick off its national tour by hosting a two-day event in Minneapolis through its Patent Pro Bono Program .
  • "Pro bono counsel serves as a valuable bridge to the innovation economy by providing critical assistance to underrepresented inventors.
  • The Minnesota program is facilitated through LegalCORPS, a nonprofit based in Minneapolis that provides free assistance in non-litigation business law matters to low-income inventors.
  • Inventors interested in attending the free seminar on the 9th can sign up for the morning session here and the afternoon session here .

McGruff the Crime Dog® and Joey Gase race for safety at Daytona

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 2, 2023

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- All crime prevention engines are a go on car #53 during NASCAR'S race at the Daytona International Speedway on February 18. Joey Gase and McGruff the Crime Dog® continue their crime fighting partnership and shine a light on criminals selling counterfeit products.

Key Points: 
  • Joey Gase and McGruff the Crime Dog® continue their crime fighting partnership and shine a light on criminals selling counterfeit products.
  • As part of this effort, NCPC, McGruff, and Gase will host a variety of events in Daytona in the week leading up to the race.
  • Gase and McGruff will visit two schools in the Daytona area to educate kids on the campaign.
  • "I am extremely excited to team up with the National Crime Prevention Council and McGruff to help Take A Bite Out of Crime," said Gase.

Taking a bite out of fake products on YouTube

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, October 27, 2022

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new YouTube series hosted by McGruff the Crime Dog® aims at shifting the buying behaviors of tweens and teens away from fake products.

Key Points: 
  • WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new YouTube series hosted by McGruff the Crime Dog aims at shifting the buying behaviors of tweens and teens away from fake products.
  • The series transports viewers to McGruff's top-secret detective lab and features guests from various industries to teach young people the dangers counterfeit products.
  • Fake shoes, luxury items, skin care products and more will be highlighted and exposed.
  • New products have been invented, new uses for old ones discovered, and employment opportunities created for millions of Americans.