PIUG 2021 - PIUG Background & Information

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PIUG 2021 Annual Conference (Virtual)

Message from the Chair As we continue to work through the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to determine how to accommodate our Biotech Conference and our Annual Conference. It was clear at the end of 2020 that neither conference would be held as in-person events in 2021, and the decision was made to combine them into one, virtual conference. We have combined the best of the annual conference and the best of the biotech conference and designed an agenda that will highlight both and be presented in a format that provides a broad reach to our patent information community. Welcome to the PIUG 2021 Combined Annual and Biotech Conference! Our 2021 conference theme is “Unconventional Times Require Unconventional Search and Analysis Techniques. “ Our speakers have embraced this theme and created presentations that all attendees can learn from and apply to their daily work. I would like to thank each and every one of them for their contribution to our conference. I would also like to thank this year’s program committee for their contributions to putting together such a great program: Lucy Antunes, Yateen Pargaonkar, Greg Roland, Leah Sandvoss, Don Walter, and Martha Yates The success of PIUG’s conferences, of PIUG itself, would be unachievable without the dedication and persistence of our many volunteers. I would like to thank this years planning committee for their contributions to the putting together such a great conference: Malcolm Hallam, Ron Kaminecki, Victoria Smith, Alison Taylor, Jane Thompson, Rick Williams, and Diane Webb. Sincere appreciation and thanks go to our Administrative Coordinator, Ken Koubek. Without his dedication and knowledge of PIUG processes and procedures, this conference would not be possible. In addition to his administrative activities, he contributes to the Socio conference platform, the PIUG conference webpages, and works with all of our sponsors. Finally, tremendous appreciation goes to our sponsors and exhibitors, without whose generous and ongoing support our PIUG conferences could not take place. Our sponsors and exhibitors are full partners in PIUG’s efforts to flourish and fulfill our mission to “support, assist, improve, and enhance the success of patent information professionals….” This Conference, where delegates, speakers, and sponsors join together, represents our mission in action.

Our sponsors for the PIUG 2020 Annual Conference include: BizInt, Clarivate, IFI Claims, STN, aptean GenomeQuest, Ambercite, Minesoft, PatSnap, Questel, and Relativity. This year’s exhibitors include: Relecura, Toyota Technical Development Corporation, and WIPO. This year’s participating organization is EPO. Please make it a point to visit all the sponsors and exhibitors on their pages and during the dedicated vendor time, and plan to attend the sponsored workshops to learn about the products and services that are available to enhance and facilitate your work. The PIUG Board is thrilled that you are able to join us and your fellow patent information professionals virtually to take in a terrific technical program, and to get to know and exchange experience and expertise with your colleagues from around the globe. I would love to be in-person, but am so glad that we still have a forum to be together and share in this great conference. I hope you take advantage of the opportunities to attend the workshops, to spend time with our sponsors, to network and to make a new friend or two! So glad you could join us!

Warm Regards, Shelley Pavlek PIUG Chair 2020-2022

SAVE THE DATES! PIUG 2022 Biotech Conference March 1–2, 2022 Kimpton Marlowe, Cambridge, MA PIUG 2022 Annual Conference May 1–4, 2022 Westin, Alexandria, VA