Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer
California faces a complex, ever-changing regulatory environment in which science-based input and community engagement are needed to inform policy decisions and implementation.
Rapidly changing information, technology, materials, and public demands necessitate the development, evaluation, and adoption of secure, innovative tools and solutions.
The University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources (UC ANR) is committed to best practices in intellectual property and technology transfer.
Actions for Positive Outcomes
UC ANR upholds a commitment to innovation, the ethical use of technology, and data-driven approaches. Opportunities for action include, but are not limited to the following:
- Develop, commercialize, and support adoption of cutting-edge technologies such as robotics, drones, and precision agriculture tools, while also safeguarding related intellectual property protections.
- Support initiatives to increase broadband access and ensure digital safety and security for all.
- Apply and manage big data, utilizing large data sets to inform decision-making processes and drive innovation.
- Harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) in a manner that is both innovative and ethically sound, leveraging it to optimize agricultural practices, ecosystem management, and health outcomes.
- Collaborate with academic, government, nonprofit, Tribal, and private sector partners to stimulate a more inclusive and successful innovation ecosystem that provides youth, adults and local communities with opportunities to pursue invention, entrepreneurship, and commercialization of ideas.
- Engage with technology developers, researchers, and policymakers to ensure new technologies are developed and commercialized in a way that enhances equitable sharing of the benefits of these new tools while minimizing harms to vulnerable populations.
“We're proud to join forces with UC ANR for the Farm Robotics Challenge. [Our] aim is to not only inspire the next wave of agricultural innovation, but also to prepare the workforce that will bring these innovations to life.” —Ethan Rublee, CEO of farm-ng.
UC ANR research supported the Turlock Irrigation District to initiate the first-in-the-nation construction of solar panels over water canals, which is expected to increase the state’s electric capacity while saving water and helping meet decarbonization goals with out impacting arable land.
Source: UC ANR Strategic Vision 2040: Driving and Harnessing Innovation