Celebrate 150 Years of Bell's Telephone Patent with WiE and TEMS at the USPTO
NoVA, Wash, WiE, and TEMS - let's meet up! Join the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) and cosponsors IEEE, AIPLA, IPO, the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, and others, virtually or in person at USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday, March 5, from 1:00-5:30 p.m. ET (in person), 1:30-4:00 p.m. (virtual) - see agenda below, for an educational and celebratory program exploring Alexander Graham Bell’s groundbreaking invention and its impact on telecommunications and technology. IEEE's President-Elect Jill Gostin will lead a panel discussion during the event. All IEEE members, including WiE and TEMS members, are welcome to meet up at this event.
The USPTO collaborated with industry, organizational, and academic partners across the invention, innovation, and IP legal communities to celebrate this anniversary and highlight the power of invention. The USPTO thanks the Alexander and Mabel Bell Legacy Foundation, the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), AT&T, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Library of Congress for their contributions to the event.
The program will reflect on the past and future to show how invention, innovation, and intellectual property (IP) protection help grow the economy, connect people, and support new technologies. This event serves as an introduction to the USPTO’s efforts to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and the important role of IP in the country's growth.
This event is free. Please register early to secure your spot.
Register on the UPSTO site at: https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/events/alexander-graham-bells-telephone-patent-150-years-world-connection?utm_campaign=subscriptioncenter&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=
Physical Address at : Clara Barton Auditorium 600 Dulany Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314 USA
Virtual link provided upon registration at the above URL.
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- 600 Dulany Street
- United States Patent & Trademark Office
- Alexandria, Virginia
- United States 22314
- Building: Clara Barton Auditorium
- Contact Event Hosts
- Co-sponsored by USPTO Special Event
- Starts 25 February 2026 05:00 AM UTC
- Ends 05 March 2026 05:00 AM UTC
- No Admission Charge
Agenda
Agenda
(Subject to change. All times Eastern Time)
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 1 p.m. | Optional: Open in-person tours of the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum |
| 1:30-1:45 p.m. |
Welcome remarks Video Message: Dr. Bernard Carlson, Professor Emeritus of Humanities, Professor Emeritus of Engineering and Society, University of Virginia |
| 1:45-2:35 p.m. |
Panel I: From Bell to Broadband — Innovation and Industry Across 150 Years This panel traces the evolution of communications from the original telephone patent to today’s broadband, wireless, and global digital networks. They will highlight how invention and industry growth have reinforced one another over 150 years. Moderator: Jill Gostin, President-Elect, IEEE Panelists:
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| 2:35-3:25 p.m. |
Panel II: Protecting Ideas and Shaping the Future — Intellectual Property and the Next 150 Years This forward-looking discussion examines how intellectual property protection continues to drive innovation in communications and emerging technologies, and how today’s frameworks will shape the next generation of invention. Moderator: Louis Foreman, CEO of Enventys, Professor at Wake Forest Panelists:
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| 3:25-4:00 p.m. |
Closing Reflections & Anniversary Tribute Remarks: Elizabeth Dougherty, Southeast Regional Outreach Director, United States Patent and Trademark Office Speakers:
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| 4-5:30 p.m. |
Post-Program Engagement (In-person only)
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