The Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation (OTTI) is proud to recognize members of the University of Houston community who have taken an important step in turning research and creative scholarship into real-world impact. Submitting an intellectual property disclosure helps protect ideas, opens pathways to licensing and commercialization, and supports UH’s mission to translate innovation into societal benefit.

First-Time Disclosers

First-time disclosers are inventors, authors, or contributors who have submitted their first intellectual property disclosure to OTTI. This recognition celebrates individuals who are engaging with the innovation and commercialization process for the first time and helping build UH’s culture of research impact. The UH disclosure process is the only formal starting point for OTTI evaluation and potential protection of patents, copyrights, know-how, and other intellectual property. 

First-Time Lead Inventors 

First-time lead inventors are individuals serving as the primary inventor/contact on a disclosure for the first time. This recognition highlights faculty, staff, postdocs, and students who are taking a leading role in advancing an invention through the UH innovation process. The disclosure form identifies a primary investigator/contact for the disclosure and captures inventor contributions to support evaluation and protection decisions. 

Why Disclose? 

Disclosing your invention or creative work to OTTI can help you: 

• Protect your intellectual property through patents, copyrights, and related strategies.
• Receive recognition for your contributions to your field and the university.
• Create opportunities for commercialization, licensing, and industry collaboration.
• Support compliance with university and funding requirements.  

OTTI encourages inventors to submit a disclosure before any public disclosure, including a publication, presentation, grant application, poster, or discussion outside the university. UH’s commercialization guidance recommends submitting a disclosure at least three months before public disclosure and advises against discussing inventions outside UH without appropriate confidentiality protections such as an NDA. 

UH Employees’ Duty to Disclose 

Under UH’s intellectual property framework, the purpose of the OTTI disclosure form is to notify the university of intellectual property in compliance with UH System Board of Regents Policy 21.08. The System’s OTTI is responsible for the custody, management, and licensing of intellectual property assets created within the UH System, and Board Policy 21.08 provides that the Board owns intellectual property rights for technology conceived or reduced to practice by persons engaged in System research, subject to the policy’s terms.

In practical terms, if you are a UH employee and believe you have developed a potentially protectable invention, software, copyrighted work, know-how, or other intellectual property connected to your university work, you should disclose it to OTTI so the university can evaluate protection, ownership, sponsorship obligations, and commercialization options. 

Submit a Disclosure 

Ready to disclose? Please use the current UH disclosure form: 

Intellectual Property Disclosure Form

After completing the form, email the signed disclosure to oipm@central.uh.edu. UH advises using the latest version of the form and allowing 60–90 days for a full evaluation. 

Need Help? Join Drop-In Disclosure Office Hours 

Have questions about whether your work should be disclosed, how to complete the form, inventorship, sponsorship obligations, public disclosure timing, or commercialization potential? Join OTTI’s online drop-in disclosure office hours for informal guidance and Q&A. 

Drop-in disclosure office hours: 
Thursday, 1 – 2pm CT (Weekly) 
Microsoft Teams (Online)
Meeting ID: 240 357 514 011 21 
Passcode: 8TM2Uy3D 

2026 Q1 First-Time Disclosers

*First-Time Lead Inventor

2026 Q2 First-Time Disclosers

*First-Time Lead Inventor