Morgan State sets record for patents awarded in a year, topping all HBCUs

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Morgan State University Thursday announced it has set a record among all Historically Black College Universities (HBCUs) by obtaining the highest number of patent awards in a calendar year.

The university secured 13 patents in 2023, surpassing the previous HBCU record of 11, after beginning to pursue technology patents eight years ago.

Collaborative research can generate inventive concepts and create complexity in ownership rights. The Division of Research and Economic Development (D-RED) supports and guides Morgan St. faculty in their research efforts by managing grants and contracts that help fund faculty research activity. Additionally, the division is the first point of contact for companies interested in collaborating with MSU researchers.

In 2018, the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) was established to help faculty, staff and students with intellectual property-related issues that may arise from their academic research or creative pursuits. As part of D-RED, the OTT assists with patent applications, trademarks and copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property.

Overall, Morgan St. has been issued 32 U.S. Utility Patents and is currently on a path to be awarded an average of at least one new patent per month throughout 2024. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted the university’s first patent in 2016, followed by a second one in 2018. By the end of 2023, Morgan St. elevated to the fifth-highest cumulative total of U.S. Utility Patents awarded to an HBCU. 

In higher education, universities often transfer technology from research innovations discovered by their faculty, staff, and students to businesses and industries. This process helps in the development of products and services for public use. OTT oversees identifying potential patentable subject matter generated from Morgan’s research efforts, which is a multi-year process. To determine the viability and exclusivity of the innovation, the university partners with an outside IP firm to prepare and file U.S. patent applications. An application must be filed with the USPTO to secure a patent, followed by a complex review and examination process.

Morgan has more than 35 U.S. Utility patents currently pending at the USPTO and is filing new patent applications monthly. Under Wayne Swann’s direction, OTT has successfully navigated the complex patent process in higher education.