The Early Career Network of Commonwealth Chemistry organised a webinar as their fifth event on the 3rd November 2025. ‘Introduction to Intellectual Property’, the first in the series ‘From Idea to Impact: A Guide to Intellectual Property and Patents’. This free-to-access webinar is now available on demand to support early career researchers by expanding their knowledge.
The Early Career Network organises activities to cater to the needs of early career chemists across the Commonwealth. They deliver activities organised in line with the recommendations of the report “A Sustainable Chemistry Workforce for a Sustainable Future’.
During the webinar you will hear from our speaker, Professor Abeutinga at the Department of Chemistry, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Additionally, her talk is followed by a live Q&A session
This ‘Introduction to Intellectual Property’ webinar aims to provide an understanding of how IP supports innovation, creativity, and competitive advantage. It will cover:
- the fundamentals of Intellectual Property (IP) and its main forms, including copyright, industrial design, trademarks and geographical indications, and patents;
- the three key criteria required for patent protection and how to assess whether an invention is novel using publicly available patent databases;
- the importance of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and the role of the International Search Report (ISR) in international patent applications;
- an overview of how confidential know-how and trade secrets safeguard valuable business information.
Opening and Closing remarks for this event are delivered by:
- Dr Michael Forde, President of Commonwealth Chemistry
- Professor Priyani Paranagama, Chair of the Commonwealth Chemistry Early Career Network Committee