The Intellectual Property Management Office (IPMO) of the University of Eldoret held the inaugural meeting for the newly-appointed Departmental Intellectual Property (IP) Coordinators on 12th August 2024. Some of the newly appointed IP Coordinators also double up as members of the Innovation Planning Committee (IPC) which also works closely with the IPMO to promote the development, protection and commercialization of innovations in the University.

During the meeting, the Head of the IPMO, Dr. Becky Aloo outlined the critical role that IP Coordinators will play in their respective departments, including the identification of IPs for documentation, protection, and commercialization. She further elaborated that effective IP management was essential not only for protecting the university’s innovations but also for translating these innovations into tangible socio-economic benefits. The functions of the IPMO were highlighted to include getting funding opportunities for innovators, incubation of innovations, training, and capacity building for staff and students, IP protection, implementation of the IP Policy, holding annual Innovation Weeks and Public Lectures, and recognition of innovators during the innovation week.

The Head of IPMO highlighted the various types of IP rights including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and plant breeders’ rights and provided some statistics related to innovations in the university over the years, types of innovations, number of innovations per school, and the number of protected and commercialized innovations among others. Various support structures available to the IP Coordinators, including ongoing training and resources to help them in their new roles were also highlighted. The IP Coordinators were taken through an overview of the innovation ecosystem at the University, including key initiatives such as Annual Innovation Week and innovation competitions for students. Also highlighted were the success stories of significant innovations, like EldoMavuno (wheat) and new potato varieties developed by Prof. Miriam Kinyua, and waste plastic umbrellas by Eng. Muhamed Swaleh, to showcase the university’s capacity for generating impactful innovations for commercialization to benefit of society. The discussions during the meeting provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with intellectual property management at the departmental level.

The inaugural meeting sets a strong foundation for the newly appointed IP Coordinators, equipping them with the knowledge to fulfill their roles effectively. The event marked a significant milestone in the university's ongoing efforts to enhance the management, protection, and commercialization of intellectual property from its academic and research activities. The IPMO looks forward to working closely with the Coordinators to advance the innovation ecosystem and IP management in the University. The full list of the appointed IP Coordinators is provided below:

School of Education

1. Centre for Teacher Education  -  Dr. Dinah Samikwo
2. Department of Curriculum and Instruction  -  Dr. Jaluo  Murunga
3. Department of Educational Management  -  Dr. Bornes Korir
4. Department of Educational Psychology  -  Dr. Agnes Oseko
5. Department of Foundation of Education  -  Dr. Margaret Kamara
6. Department of Technology of Education  -  Mr. Douglas Odhiambo

School of Agriculture and Biotechnology

1. Department of Agricultural Economics  -  Dr. Faith Maina
2. Department of Animal Science   -  Dr. Joseph Omega
3. Department of Biotechnology  -  Dr. Emmy Chepkoech
4. Department of Family and Consumer Services  -   Dr. Charlotte Serem
5. Department of Seed, Crop, and Horticultural Sciences  -  Dr. Daniel Chebet
6. Department of Soil Science  -  Dr. Abigael Otinga

School of Environmental Studies and Natural Resource Management

1. Department of Environmental Planning, Sustainability and Geo-Informatics  -  Mr. Michael Wanyumba
2. Department of Environmental Science  -   Dr. Shem Mwasi
3. Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences  -  Dr. James Barasa
4. Department of Forestry and Wood Science  -  Dr. Kenneth Opiyo Odhiambo
5. Department of Wildlife Management and Conservation  -  Ms. Catherine Waweru

School of Science

1. Department of Biological Sciences  -   Dr. Emily J. Chemoiwa
2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry  -  Dr. Fidelis Samita
3. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science  -  Prof. Argwins Otieno
4. Department of Physics  -  Prof. Joel Tonui

School of Business, Economics and Management Sciences

1. Department of Business Management  -  Mr. Josam Musambayi
2. Department of Hotel and Hospitality  -  Ms. Purity Magaju
3. Department of Tourism, Tour and Travel Management   -  Dr. George Ariya
4. Department of Applied Economics  -  Prof. Paul Odwori

School of Engineering

1. Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering  -  Dr. John  Langat
2. Department of Civil and Structural Engineering  -  Eng. Clement Kiptum
3. Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering  -  Eng. Anthony Daniel Kibet

School of Arts and Human Development

1. Department of Humanities  -  Dr. Richard Ochieng’
2. Department of Development Studies  -   Dr. Grace Mureithi
3. Department of Communication and Media Studies  -  Dr. Doreen Orawo
4. Department of Languages and Literature  -  Ms. Jecinta Muyuku