Understanding IP and commercialization as a graduate supervisor – Apr. 17, 2026

Session Description

Understanding intellectual property (IP) is important for all members of the university research community. Graduate supervisors need to understand the unique position their graduate students are in with respect to intellectual property, because graduate students inhabit multiple roles at the university. These multiple roles have implications for graduate students’ intellectual property rights and how they interact with the intellectual property of others.

Facilitated by Jennifer Fraser, Director of Innovation in the Innovations & Partnerships Office, this workshop will cover essential topics for graduate supervisors at the University of Toronto, including:

• Understanding graduate student intellectual property rights, including in the context of working with a research supervisor, collaborator or industry
• Commercializing intellectual property arising from graduate student research
• Working with graduate students using confidential information or intellectual property from an external sponsor
• Where to access support for questions about graduate students and intellectual property