What constitutes public disclosure of intellectual property?
• Journal article • Presentations at public meeting • Thesis or dissertation defense • Posting on a faculty website • Awarded research grant or contract – FOIA What is a copyright? A copyright is a legal grant by the government that covers original works of authorship and must be fixed in a tangible medium of expression (e.g., printed book, sound recording, videotape, or script). Any author can have copyright protection even without registration because copyrights exist from the moment of material creation. Literary works, photographs, software, distance learning material, music, and lyrics can all be protected by copyrights. What is a trademark? A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, design, slogan, or a combination thereof, that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods or services. Trademarks can be protected under state and federal law. For more information about copyrights and trademarks, visit our Resources for Faculty page.
