EmpowerHER - Diverse IP - It

Team Name

Uni High-Fives

Team Members

Project Description

The "EmpowerHER: Diverse-IP-It" project is a visionary endeavor aimed at addressing multifaceted challenges related to labor practices, inequality, regulatory compliance, and racial fairness, particularly affecting females. This initiative is channeled through an interactive website under the banner of "Diverse-IP-It." By leveraging comprehensive educational resources, the project underscores the critical importance of diversity and inclusivity, with a distinct focus on empowering women within the intellectual property rights system.

We, as a team, have tried creating a mockup interactive website that helps empower women and promote inclusivity, diversity and innovation. This can be enhanced utilising the Australian IP reports, ABS data for authorities to take proactive decisions.

Here is the link to our mockup website: https://unihighfives.wixsite.com/empowerher---diverse

Data Story

Analysis:
Australian IP report serves as a comprehensive analysis of the current state of intellectual property rights in Australia, encompassing patents, trade marks, and designs. It delves into various aspects with the primary focus revolves around understanding how the IP system contributes to fostering skills, diversity, and innovation for the betterment of the national economy. This entails utilizing new research conducted by IP Australia and other collaborating entities.
An analysis of data from WIPO found that women in Australia are less likely to be inventors than men. There is a gap of 2%, which is higher than the international average. This suggests that there are barriers to women's participation in innovation in Australia.

In 2022, Australia achieved historically low unemployment due to a record-high labor participation rate, with women and young individuals contributing significantly as per ABS data. IP Australia's research emphasizes the importance of maintaining these gains for innovation. Their study, based on ABS data from 2010 to 2019, highlights the role of diversity in innovation among top management teams and STEM workforces. Key findings include Australia's high rate of migrant inventors, IP-enriched businesses having more diverse STEM workforces, and the positive impact of diverse leadership on research efficiency and intensity. These insights underscore diversity's influence on innovation and productivity in Australia.

The underrepresentation of women on patents can be attributed to various factors. The presence of women as inventors on patents differs across technological fields. In the year 2022, women inventors were acknowledged on nearly 61% of PCT applications related to Biotechnology, 59% in Organic Fine Chemistry, Pharmaceuticals, Analysis of Biological Materials, and Food Chemistry. This pattern correlates with the greater representation of women in the STEM workforce within life science businesses compared to the broader STEM workforce.
We, as a team, believe that the change needs to come from younger generations. For that, creative methods such as games shall generate better interest among youngsters as well as community and will influence public authorities to make policy amendments for more female enablement across industry sectors and create significant uplift in the ESG performance.

The main objective is to discern, from the pool of top applicants for patents, trade marks, and designs registered with IP Australia, certain critical information. Firstly, this includes identifying the number of applicants that are led by females. Secondly, it involves determining the presence of applicant entities with policies that are supportive of gender diversity, encompassing female-friendly hiring practices as well as broader positive initiatives for gender and sexual diversity. Additionally, a pivotal aspect is to gain insights into the specific industries and technologies in which these top applicants are actively engaged.

To achieve these objectives, a thorough analysis of the Australian IP Report 2023 is essential, as it provides a comprehensive understanding of the IP landscape and its relationship with economic productivity, innovation, and diversity.
Key Objectives:
Educational Platform:
Develop an interactive website, "Diverse-IP-It," featuring engaging content on diversity, inclusion, and women's participation in IP.
Provide insightful resources, webinars, case studies, and interviews highlighting success stories of women in the IP field.
Awareness and Empowerment:
Raise awareness about the significance of diversity in the IP landscape, particularly for women.
Empower women to actively participate in intellectual property rights by providing them with knowledge and tools.
Engaging Across Age Groups:
Create content that appeals to diverse age groups, from students to professionals, using accessible language and interactive elements.
Foster a sense of belonging and encouragement for women at different stages of their careers.
Promoting Diversity and Innovation:
Highlight the correlation between diversity, inclusion, and innovative practices in the intellectual property sector.
Showcase examples of how diverse teams lead to enhanced creativity and improved problem-solving.
Measurable Impact:
Collect and analyze data on website engagement, user feedback, and participation.
Measure the project's impact on attitudes, understanding, and the number of women entering the IP field.
Collaborative Partnerships:
Collaborate with IP organizations, educational institutions, and women-focused networks to amplify the project's reach and effectiveness.
Expected Impact:
The "EmpowerHER-Diverse- IP-It" project envisions a transformed landscape where females are empowered, educated, and encouraged to actively participate in the intellectual property rights system. By fostering awareness and providing accessible resources, the project aims to dismantle barriers, challenge inequality, and promote diversity. Ultimately, the initiative seeks to contribute to a more inclusive, innovative, and balanced intellectual property ecosystem.