On this day, we celebrate women around the world
who have made innovations and creations in their respective fields and made an impact in
the society. This includes innovations in science and technology, research and development, academics and original creations in the creative
industries. Intellectual Property (IP) has played a continuous role in protecting these creations and increasing their
value.
A look into history takes us to Mar Dixon
Kies- the first woman in U.S.A to receive a U.S patent (in 1809) for
"weaving straw with silk or thread to make hats". This patent record
was unfortunately destroyed in 1836 in "The Great Patent Fire". Later
on, in 1845, Sarah Mather obtained
a patent for inventing a "submarine telescope and
lamp" which allowed maritime vessels to analyse the ocean's depths.
In 1902, Marie
Curie successfully conducted pioneering research in radioactive
theory for which she received a Nobel Prize. She was also the first person to
win a Nobel Prize twice and in two separate sciences- Physics (1903) and
Chemistry (1911).
Others include Stephanie Kwolek who invented Kevlar
fibre in 1965. The unique material is "five times stronger than steel" and
is used in making musical instruments, bicycle tyres, frying pans, racing sails
and bullet proof vests. In the area of research, Dr Shirley Ann Jackson made
her mark as the first African-American woman to get a PhD from Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT). Her research on "subatomic particles" paved
the way for inventions such as fibre optic cables, portable fax, touch tone
telephone and solar cells.
There are certain inventions by women that were either taken or made popular by other parties. A good example is Elizabeth
Magie who invented the game "Monopoly" (originally called "The
Landlord Game") in 1904. The game was later appropriated and sold to the
"Parker Brothers" who eventually found Magie and paid her $500 for it. Similarly, Rosalind Franklin successfully proved Watson and
Crick's theory of a "double DNA helix" and took the first "x-ray
diffraction picture of DNA". Based on this photograph, James Watson
and Francis Crick worked out the 3-dimensional structure of DNA. They
received a Nobel prize in 1962 for this, at which time Franklin had
already passed.
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| The Landlord's Game invented by E.Maggie (THE STRONG) |
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| Marie Curie won two Nobel Prizes (GETTY) |
One of these women is Sandra Mjöll Jónsdóttir, the CEO
of Platome Biotechnology. Through her company, she has worked extensively to reinvent
the process of growing human cells by "creating life science reagents that
are completely free from animal components". This is done by transforming
waste blood products into "valuable products" that are exploitable
by scientists all over the world. Using her company as a
case study, she emphasises that IP should come first for Science and Technology
companies as this is what allows companies succeed and gives them "unique
competitive advantage in the market." Her message
to girls and women around the world is: "Believe
in yourself and stand up for yourself. Don’t let the fear of failure get in the
way of your success. Your ideas are valuable and they are unique, but if you
never pursue them, you will never find out their true potential."
Rhona Eastman Jack is a seamstress, entrepreneur and inventor from Trinidad and Tobago. She solved the portability problem of traditional long sewing rulers by inventing the "Udazzle fashion ruler". According to her, it is important for women to take advantage of innovation and invention to boost their world economic status and build self confidence. She calls on all girls and women to innovate: "Look around you. Invention is a solution to a problem. Let’s use our God-given talent to find innovative solutions."
Even in education, women are making breakthroughs in science in technology. For example, advanced diploma students at the Higher College of Technology in Muscat, Oman (Heba Khalifa Al-Ghafri, Faeza Abdullah Al-Khatri, and Sharifa Hamad Al-Qutati) invented a natural product from a plant extract that enhances hair regrowth. They have gone ahead to register their intellectual property for protection and further development.
Ruth Soetendorp, an academic who teaches IP Management at Bournemouth University, has researched and advocated for IP education for the past 30 years. She believes that women bring a unique perspective to the innovative process through their experiences, history and approach to life. According to her, "Global economies need the brilliance, ingenuity, curiosity, courage, and diversity of women's contribution to ensure the success of our common future." Also, there is a dire need for the recognition and encouragement of young women's "inquisitive creativity" in an environment that emphasises the role of IP in "translating natural talents to commercially valuable assets."
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| Sandra Mjöll Jónsdóttir, CEO Platome Biotech (WIPO) |
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| Rhona Eastman Jack invented Udazzle fashion ruler (WIPO) |
Likewise, Senegal’s Abibatou Banda Fall runs ARADES
(Association for Research Action Development and Environment in the Sahel).
This is a non-profit organization which empowers women and young people with
the skills to make a living from design and use of organic bread bags, thermal baskets,
food processing, crafts, and more.
This list is not exhaustive. There are still many women involved in creativity and innovation in various communities around the world. In the words
of Lisa Jorgenson, the Executive Director for the American Intellectual
Property Law Association (AIPLA), World IP Day 2018 is about celebrating "the brilliance, ingenuity, curiosity and determination of
women who have shaped our past, who are driving change in our world and
influencing our future". However more needs to be done to encourage girls
and women to invest their time and intellect in creation and innovation with a
view to making a difference in their environment. According to WIPO, less than
one-third of international patent applications filed in 2015 included female
inventors. Although this is classed as an improvement from the previous figure of 17% in 1997,
there is still more work to be done in closing the gender gap and
eradicating the stereotype of 'male-dominated fields'. The celebration of the
accomplishments of these women is not a mere contribution to the feminist rhetoric but seeks to inspire 'would-be' creators and inventors around the world to
rise up and make their own contributions to solving problems in the society. Using Intellectual property as a tool, they will be able to
protect these creations and maximize the benefits to themselves and to the society at
large.
We leave you with the official message of
Francis Gurry, Director General of WIPO and wish you all a Happy World IP Day!
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