NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – For a third consecutive year, the University of Oklahoma has been ranked in the Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents by the National Academy of Inventors. OU continues to be the only university in Oklahoma to be recognized, highlighting its commitment to innovation and corporate partnerships.
“To remain ranked among the nation’s top universities for utility patents reinforces OU’s commitment to technology commercialization and our drive to move translational research into the marketplace,” said Michael Schade, interim chief innovation officer and interim executive director of the Office of Innovation and Corporate Partnerships. “These patents, disclosures, and startups represent OICP’s, OU’s, and our researchers’ driven focus to provide impactful innovation that will help shape tomorrow’s future.”
In fiscal year 2024, 18 OU faculty across the university’s three campuses received 29 U.S. and foreign patents. Thus far in FY25, 34 OU inventors have been issued 11 U.S. utility patents and 12 foreign patents. These accomplishments stem from goals defined in OU’s Lead On, University Strategic Plan. These efforts include simplifying intellectual property options for corporate-sponsored research and establishing the iPath program for OU innovators.
Additionally, OU is having a record-breaking year for disclosures, the first step toward technology commercialization. For FY25, OU researchers have filed 61 disclosures. Likewise, four faculty members are developing spin-off organizations based on their OU intellectual property, a milestone achievement for the university.
“In the ever-evolving innovation landscape, it is imperative that the U.S. is remaining competitive and at the forefront of today’s emerging research and technologies,” said Paul R. Sanberg, FNAI, President of the NAI. “The Top 100 U.S. list celebrates U.S. universities and their inventive staff and faculty for their dedication in ensuring their innovations and IP are protected.”
NAI’s Top 100 lists are created using calendar year data provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The top 100 placements include all named assignees listed on the patent. View the complete list of Top 100 U.S. Universities.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
Three University of Oklahoma graduate students have been named winners of the 2025 Three Minute Thesis competition, which challenges participants to explain their research in three minutes to a non-specialist audience.
Sarah Sharif, a researcher with the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to create innovative light detectors that pick up mid-wave and long-wave infrared signals at higher temperatures than previously considered achievable.
A team from OU and WVU recently earned a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how concept cigarillos influence the potential for addiction. The results will be used to inform the FDA’s impending flavor ban on cigar products and could have wider-reaching implications for other tobacco products that come in flavors, such as e-cigarettes and tobacco-free nicotine pouches.
