Katherine Ku has taken on a board position at University of Utah Research Foundation in addition to her existing appointment as chief licensing adviser at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati.
Katherine Ku (pictured), the former executive director of Stanford University’s Office of Technology Licensing (OTL), has been appointed to University of Utah Research Foundation’s board of directors.
Ku’s term is already effective, having been ratified on April 24. The research foundation oversees University of Utah’s intellectual property portfolio through its tech transfer subsidiary, the Center for Technology and Venture Commercialisation, and is also tasked with operating the university’s research park.
Ku stood down from OTL in June 2018 after more than 27 years as executive director. She has since also emerged as the chief licensing adviser at law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati.
Ku is renowned as the architect of a tech licensing code adopted by more than 120 institutions. First published in 2007, the code is a framework for protecting academia’s ability to conduct research in the public interest without constraint from intellectual property licences agreed with external actors.
Her time in charge of OTL coincided with substantial growth in revenues and headcount, and the office spawned hundreds of technologies throughout her tenure. OTL generated $1.8bn under Ku’s leadership, much of which was reinvested in fresh research.
Ku said: “I share the university’s philosophy for technology development – do what is in the best public interest, while creating value and impact. Taking this approach to commercialisation will help the university meet the goals of its administration, faculty and investors.”
– Image courtesy of Stanford University
