Whose idea is it anyway?: Students communicating innovative and entrepreneurial work and the quagmire of ownership at the university level

摘要

At many universities across the United States, the students' ideas resulting from course-associated work may not be their own, especially if they make "significant use" of university equipment or resources. But what does "significant use" mean for an undergraduate who is required to complete a unique design, in a team, for a grade? Is the design patentable? Licensable? Protected? The authors explore ramifications and ways to raise awareness for project-based designs and the communication of those designs.