Those wishing to learn the ins and outs of patent law will have a chance this Friday during an on-campus presentation.

The speaker, John Diebel, is a technology licensing associate at Michigan Technological University and counselor for the Michigan Small Business Technology Development Center (MSBTDC). The event is open to the community and will be hosted in room 165 of the Art and Design building at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 13. The presentation is a cooperative effort by NMU, MSBTDC, Lake Superior Community Partnership, Michigan Works!, and Procurement Technical Assistance Centers of Michigan.

“This seminar will help (students) to understand the ground rules of protecting and licensing intellectual property,” said Diebel.

The presentation will consist of a lecture and an opportunity for students to ask questions over a two hour period. The subject of the talk will be patent law and some strategies for inventors wishing to get a patent. The cost of the event will be $40 per person.

“We do not try to take the place of a patent attorney, but we try to help inventors make efficient use of their time when they do seek out patent council,” said Diebel.

Professor Tawni Ferrarini, director for the Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship at NMU, said the presentation is very timely considering the current state of the economy.

“Entrepreneurship thrives during economic recessions,” said Ferrarini. “Patents give individuals incentive to invent, innovate and create.”