Learning About & Incorporating Intellectual Property (IP) into a Class Project
2025 Intellectual Property
Faculty & Student Upskilling
Hagge Innovation Institute & George R. and Martha Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
Center for Integrated Professional Development
Faculty and Course Instructors are invited to submit a proposal to participate in this Summer 2025 course design cohort. This supports one of ISU’s core values of Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship which is exemplified in providing robust hands-on experiences to promote an understanding of intellectual property and its prominence in our country.
“What is Intellectual Property? Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.
IP is protected in law by, for example, patents, copyright and trademarks, which enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create. By striking the right balance between the interests of innovators and the wider public interest, the IP system aims to foster an environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish. ” What is Intellectual Property?
Cohort participants will learn about Key Pillars of Intellectual Property and implement these into a course they are teaching. They will also explore campus resources they can use in their courses that support students’ further exploration about intellectual property. By the end of the workshop, participants will develop an assignment and assessment that they will implement in a course they are teaching in the 2025-2026 school year. In May of 2026, participants will share their work with other cohort members.
Note: This experience will start in May 2025 and continue through the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters. Stipends will be paid as work is completed, see the note on stipends and eligibility below.
By the end of this professional development experience, course instructors will be able to:
- Understand the key pillars of IP, how it applies to their course content, and develop a meaningful assignment including assessment.
- Develop learning activities to teach students about the key pillars of IP and how they apply to the targeted class.
- Identify campus resources to support their inquiry in IP.
Summer Institute
Please note that, due to work expectations and stipend considerations, individuals are limited to participating in one Center for Integrated Professional Development Design Cohort experience, including (Re)Design Your Course for Civic Engagement, per Summer Institute.
Questions?
Contact Dr. Dana Karraker or Dr. Peter Kaufman
- Workshop Dates
- Eligibility, Award Amounts, and Selection Criteria
Dates of Workshops (Participation required at all sessions):
Content Review & Research (Asynchronous Work)
May 1 – June 6, 2025
During this time, participants will watch a narrated slideshow and review information created by an IP expert and ISU alumnus. Research how that content is relevant to your class. Focus is on patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
Sharing your IP Project (In-person, Virtual Session)
June 9, 2025, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
This in-person virtual session will give participants the opportunity to learn from IP lawyer Jeff Hahn, an instructional assistant professor in the College of Business. He will be able answer questions about the IP content and brainstorm your assignment ideas. Jeff is also available to visit your class, take questions from students of a technical matter, and answer questions as you develop your IP assignment.
Develop and Submit Draft Assignment and Assessment (Asynchronous Work)
June 9- July 9, 2025
Draft Due Date: July 9
Following the in-person session, you will Develop an assignment (individual or team) including assessment for use in a class for fall ‘25 (can also use spring ’26 in same class but not required). Narrated (also available is an un-narrated PPT) IP PPT should be provided to students for their assignment as background. As noted, Jeff is also available to visit your class and answer questions as you develop your IP assignment.
Identify Jeff Hahn, the Hagge Innovation Institute, and Means Center for Entrepreneurship as additional resources for students interested in developing their own IP post class. Jeff is available to speak in the class where your IP assignment is used and for questions that students have that are IP technical.
Reflection Phase: Spring ’26 (In-person Meeting)
Early May 2026. Date TBD
Share your class IP assignment and its outcome with others in this cohort to help develop a community of best practices around IP in classes at ISU. Share with cohort anonymous artifacts from student assignments.
Eligibility
This is a university-wide initiative. All tenured, tenure-track, and full-time non-tenure track instructors and staff with teaching responsibilities are eligible to apply. Five (5) course instructors from any discipline will be selected with preference for participation across multiple colleges.
Award Amount
Faculty awards will include a stipend of $1,500 for completion of all required engagement and work. They will receive $750 Summer 2025 for attendance at the in-person session and completion of assignments and $750 May 2026 following presentation at the May 2026 in-person Reflection Phase meeting.
Time commitment: Time commitment will vary by individual and course. Participants should plan on 25 hours of time.
Selection criteria
Proposals will be evaluated by available prior cohort participants, Director of the Hagge Innovation Institute, and CIPD. The intention is to attract people from across the entire campus. Reviewers will evaluate all requested materials and prioritize submissions that have a clear connection and importance between IP and the course content.