Morgan State University, a historically Black university in Baltimore, Maryland, received 13 patents in 2023, the highest number of patents ever received by an HBCU in a calendar year.
Patents awarded to students and faculty of Morgan State University have steadily increased since the university received its first patent in 2016. By the end of 2023, the historically Black university had received a total of 29 patents over seven years. As of February 2024, the school has already received three more patents, bringing them to cumulative total of 32 patents received in eight years.
Overseeing Morgan State University’s research endeavors is the school’s Division of Research and Economic Development. The division supports faculty and students by managing research contracts and grant funding. They also serve as the liaison between internal researchers and outside companies who wish to collaborate with the university. When the university started to increase its efforts to attain patents, the division created the Office of Technology Transfer in 2018 to assist with the patent application process, trademarks, copyrights, and intellectual property.
“It’s truly remarkable to witness the accumulative impact of Morgan’s research activity and technical development, resulting in the record number of patent awards we’ve received,” said Willie E. May, vice president of research and economic development at Morgan State University. “Our commitment to prioritize research is compounded by our unbridled support for Morgan faculty and students to pursue patents for their innovations. We see this framework as a critical component to how universities significantly contribute to technological advancements and improve society.”
Currently, Morgan State University has 35 patents pending with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The university expects to receive an average of at least one patent per month for the remainder of 2024. More information regarding Morgan State University’s patent projects can be found here.
