The Duke Digest - September 16, 2011

 

In Today's Issue: 

  • Duke Welcomes Federal Patent Reforms
  • The Duke Idea Comes to Washington - Register Now
  • ED's James Kvaal Kicks Off Lecture Series at Duke September 20
  • Duke Announces Three Senior Appointments for China Initiatives


DUKE WELCOMES FEDERAL PATENT REFORMS
Duke officials hailed the passage of the America Invents Act Friday, saying it will make it easier for university researchers to move innovations into the marketplace where they might create new industries and jobs. President Barack Obama signed the act into law at a White House ceremony earlier in the day.

In FY2010, Duke researchers filed 189 applications and were issued 91 patents.  The number of applications has roughly doubled over the past five years, according to campus officials, but the number of those approved has stayed about the same, reflecting delays in the federal approval process. The new law will simplify the patent process and bring it into closer alignment with the systems of major U.S. trading partners.

Read More:
University Welcomes Federal Patent Reforms (duke.edu)


THE DUKE IDEA COMES TO WASHINGTON - REGISTER NOW
On Thursday, October 6, please join Duke alumni and friends, and President Richard H. Brodhead, for a conversation about the ideas that make a difference in people's lives. The president will be joined by David Rubenstein T'70, Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Carlyle Group, one of the world's largest private equity firms.
The topic of discussion will be "Education, Investing, and Philanthropy."  The Duke Idea will be held at the Kennedy Center from 6:30pm-9:30pm.

Read More:
The Duke Idea: Washington DC (dukealumni.com)


ED'S JAMES KVAAL TO KICK OFF LECTURE SERIES AT DUKE SEPTEMBER 20
Three experts in education and social policy are scheduled to speak in the fall and spring as part of the 2011-2012 Sulzberger Distinguished Lecture Series at Duke University.

James Kvaal, deputy under secretary at the U.S. Departmetn of Education, begins the series Sept. 20 with "Meeting the President's 2020 College Completion Goal: A National Strategy for Competitiveness and Success."

In his role, Kvaal assists the under secretary in overseeing policies, programs, and activities related to postsecondary education, vocational and adult education, and federal student aid. In 2009 and 2010, he was a special assistant to President Obama for economic policy, and worked on community college reform, simplifying the student aid application, as well as labor and retirement issues.

Read More:
Sulzberger Distinguished Lecture Series (duke.edu)


DUKE ANNOUNCES THREE SENIOR APPOINTMENTS FOR CHINA INITIATIVES
Duke University has named three academic leaders to senior positions with responsibility for Duke's ongoing work in China and the development of Duke Kunshan University (DKU), a new institution created by Duke, Wuhan University, and the city of Kunshan, China.

The appointments of William C. Kirby, Mingzheng Shi and Nora Bynum were announced Friday by Duke President Richard H. Brodhead and Provost Peter Lange.

Read More:
Duke Announces Three Senior Appointments for China Initiatives (duke.edu)