This conference highlights the role that students play in commercializing intellectual property. Student researchers, whether in a university lab or R&D department of an organization, contribute to the development of a research project and are often the innovative force behind a project. The purpose of the conference is to learn from different perspectives on the role of student researchers in commercializing IP and the different policies that have been adopted to provide for the various parties’ interests with respect to that IP.

The conference included interactive panel sessions to foster discussion. Two panels consist of members from government, industry and universities who discuss their perspectives on the role of students in commercializing IP and a third panel of student researchers discuss their own experiences in the commercialization process.