The Hidden Curriculum: Promoting Inclusion in Invention and Innovation
Nies Lecture Number
Twenty-seventh
Presentation Date
4-16-2026
Abstract
Although talent is broadly distributed, achievement in invention, innovation, and intellectual property remains concentrated among a relatively small group. What explains why some individuals advance further than their peers in companies, law firms, and law schools? This lecture examines the “hidden curriculum” of innovation: the exposure, insights, knowledge, and practices that can help individuals recognize and develop opportunities in intellectual property and innovation. By uncovering and sharing this curriculum more broadly, the lecture considers how greater access to these often-unspoken resources can help promote inclusion and unlock untapped potential.
Recommended Citation
Chien, Colleen, "The Hidden Curriculum: Promoting Inclusion in Invention and Innovation" (2026). The Honorable Helen Wilson Nies Memorial Lecture. 27.
https://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/nies_lectures/27
Presenter Bio
Colleen Chien is professor of law and co-director of the Center for Law & Technology at the University of California, Berkeley. Her teaching and research interests include innovation, intellectual property, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on how technology, data, and innovation can be harnessed to achieve their potential for social benefit. In addition to her academic appointments, she has served in positions in the federal government such as senior advisor and then senior consultant in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy during 2013-2015. Chien is a graduate of Berkeley Law and holds B.A. and B.S. degrees from Stanford University.