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Intellectual Property



The Intellectual Property Special Interest Group mission is to create a forum to inform and engage minority engineers and scientists to pursue and excel in the substantive field of IP, with the goal of increasing diversity and enriching the IP community as a whole. The IP SIG will provide its members with the support that they need and develop a road-map for NSBE members, allowing engineers to realize the many benefits and opportunities that are available in the field of IP.

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The IP SIG will work closely with NSBE, as well as other professional organizations (e.g., the National Bar Association), to provide a variety of benefits and opportunities for its members. Throughout the year it provides its members with tailored and relevant content and resources ranging from mentorship to financial support. Specifically, some of the benefits include:

  1. educating and encouraging, minority engineers to pursue careers in IP law;
  2. supporting the efforts of minority engineers to excel in the field of IP law;
  3. infusing diversity and enriching the IP community as a whole;
  4. engaging and procuring sponsorship opportunities from law firms and corporations to support NSBE members pursuing careers in IP law;
  5. providing specialized IP training courses to help engineers seamlessly transition into the patent prosecution industry by leveraging their current skills and vast expertise; and
  6. assisting in career development by providing exposure to opportunities at law firms, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, start ups and at fortune five hundred corporations.

The IP SIG will also serve to bring members up-to-date information on the development of IP law in the career market place, following and reporting significant changes in the laws both global and domestic relating to patents, copyrights, and trade secrets; this is done through a combination of yearly newsletters, e-mail alerts, sponsorship of panel programs, the hosting of a reception at the NSBE annual meeting, co-sponsorship of conferences, and invitations to group members to comment and participate in meetings or initiatives relating to the IP industry.

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Leadership

  • Director

    Student member 2000-2006

    Speaker on Patent Law (2013 NSBE Annual Convention)

    Speaker on Transitioning Into Patent Law Without Going to Law School (2017 Atlanta NSBE chapter)

    Speaker on Transitioning Into Patent Law Without Going to Law School (2018 Annual Convention)

    Speaker on Leveraging Your Engineering Degree for Patent Employment and Innovation (2018 Annual Convention)

    NSBE Professional Member (Atlanta Chapter 2017-2018)

    Braxton Davis
    intellectualdirector@nsbe.org

  • Deputy Director

    Paul Laurence Dunbar High School VP and President NSBE Jr. Chapter

    NSBE college scholarship awardee

    Texas A&M University NSBE Chapter Treasurer, VP, and President

    Dallas/Ft. Worth Professionals Chapter PCI Co-chair, President, and current President Emeritus

    Tiffany Johnson
    intellectualdeputy@nsbe.org

  • Treasurer

    Atlanta Professionals Chapter, member 2014-2015

    Workshop speaker (IP topic) at Technical Professional Conference, 2015

    Workshop panelist for at Annual Convention (IP topic and NSBEpreneur track), 2014

    Planning committee (TPC) for Annual Convention, 2008

    Recruiter for Caterpillar at NSBE conferences, 2005-2008

    Region V Programs chair, 2004-2005

    Region V Academic Excellence chair, 2003-2004

    Univ. of Texas. AE chair and programs chair 2001-2003

    Tiffany Logan
    intellectualtreasurer@nsbe.org