Bridging patent education and academic librarianship: A qualitative study of STEM undergraduate majors' patent knowledge and learning experiences

Students graduating with bachelor's degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields often work on projects that require them to produce or use various types of intellectual property in both the academic and private sectors. Patents are one such type of intellectual property that is a focus of industry and, more and more often, of interest in the academic world as well. Patent knowledge may be critical to STEM students' future professional development. Therefore, this study investigates STEM-major undergraduates' patent knowledge and relevant learning experiences. This information highlights gaps that academic librarians can address by integrating patent knowledge into STEM undergraduate education. A qualitative method was employed, with data collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 STEM undergraduate students, who were then analyzed thematically. The findings reveal that students lack a comprehensive understanding of basic patent-related concepts and have limited formal education in this area. The study highlights the need for patent information literacy, empowering students to understand how to protect their intellectual property while respecting that of others. These findings can be used to enhance library information services and educational approaches and better prepare students for patent-related work in their future careers.