SLSU-TO RIES Conducts Workshop on Intellectual Property, Patent Search, and Drafting for Students
On January 30, 2025, second-year and third-year students enrolled in Research Courses at Tomas Oppus Campus had the opportunity to attend a full-day workshop focused on intellectual property (IP), patent search, and drafting. The event, titled "Innovate and Protect: A Workshop on Intellectual Property, Patent Search, and Drafting," took place at the SLSU-TO Covered Court. This event was also attended by the VP for RIES, Dr. Francis Sy, Dr. Angel T. Sabusap, Mr. Jerome Napala, Ms. Adel Gaudicos, Dr. Mark Galdo, and research staff.
The workshop kicked off at 8:00 AM with a warm welcome and an inspirational message by Dr. Mark Galdo, the Head of the Research, Innovation, and Extension Services (RIES) Office. Dr. Galdo emphasized the importance of innovation, especially for students in Education, BSBA, and IT fields. He highlighted how innovation plays a vital role in academic growth and career development, noting that students in these disciplines can greatly benefit from understanding intellectual property rights as they create, design, and launch new ideas or products. Dr. Galdo stressed that fostering an innovative mindset will empower students to make a lasting impact in their future professions, industries and communities.
Dr. Angel T. Sabusap, an IP expert, delivered the first session titled "IP Protection for Innovations: Why It Matters?" In this session, Dr. Sabusap emphasized the significance of intellectual property rights for innovators and researchers. He explained how patents, trademarks, and copyrights can help preserve originality and offer legal protection against unauthorized use of innovations.
Following this, Mr. Jerome Jack Napala, another IP expert, presented "Introduction to the Intellectual Property System: What Can Be Patented?" This session provided participants with an overview of the intellectual property system and criteria for patenting inventions. Mr. Napala's expert insights helped demystify the patenting process and clarified which types of inventions are eligible for patent protection.
The afternoon session was a hands-on experience led by Ms. Adel Grace Gaudicos, who conducted an "Intro to Patent Search and Navigating Patent Databases" workshop. Participants were guided through the process of searching patent databases, learning valuable skills to identify existing patents and ensure that their innovations are original. The interactive session enabled students to familiarize themselves with online patent resources and search techniques.
Dr. Angel T. Sabusap returned for the session titled "Invention Spotting Techniques," where he shared strategies to identify patentable inventions in everyday life. By showcasing examples of seemingly ordinary objects that were patented, Dr. Sabusap inspired students to think creatively and critically about how innovation can occur in unexpected places.
This event proved to be a valuable experience for research students, empowering them with the tools and knowledge needed to protect their ideas and innovations. This helped lay the foundation for a culture of innovation and intellectual property protection at the SLSU-TO Campus.
This workshop also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, which focuses on fostering innovation and building resilient infrastructure. By providing students with the tools to protect and patent their innovations, SLSU is contributing to the promotion of sustainable industrialization and fostering creative solutions for future challenges.
