Final Thoughts on the Class

During this class, I have had the pleasure of learning about the basics of patent engineering with people from different backgrounds. It was a really pleasant experience being able to interact with people in order to grasp some of the more difficult concepts in patent engineering. 


I found it important to be willing to try out this patent process with any new ideas that people can come up with in many fields. While the patent trolls or NPE make today's process a little difficult, I realized it is important to try in order to promote innovation through sharing ideas with others in patents. The patents still provide the inventor with recognition even if it become disclosed. 

Another important skill that I found valuable in this class is the ability to articulate myself in a short amount of time. Through the video blogs, I had to find a way to distill the essence of my written posts into a two minute video summary. The consistent assignments allowed me to develop my oratory skills and writing ability. I also learned to develop a different set of analytic skills through reading patents. Learning the basics of the patent had me start to focus on the important parts of the documentation.

With the knowledge from this class, I will be able employ these skills in the long term. My current career plan is to gain industry experience before going into starting an engineering group. With patent knowledge, I would be better prepared to deal with the technical legalities of developing a product and having it recognized under law. Especially in today's patent system, the documentation and process can often be confusing. With a basic framework in the patent process, I would be able to develop my ideas and be able to make a difference in the biotechnology field.