This page is part of MIT's Guidelines for Ethical Authorship and Publication Practices.
In general, MIT owns the intellectual property (“IP”) that is created using MIT funding, as part of an MIT collaboration, research project, or sponsored agreement; or through research or educational opportunities provided by or at MIT. This also includes IP created through an “MIT Opportunity,” which refers to research or educational opportunities offered by MIT to individuals who are not MIT employees, faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral associates, or fellows.
The Principal Investigator (PI) or faculty supervisor serves as the data steward and is responsible for ensuring that their researchers and students properly manage, store, and handle research data in compliance with MIT policies and sponsor requirements.
Intellectual Property includes things like inventions that can be patented, creative works that can be copyrighted (such as software), materials, trademarks, and supporting information. At MIT, “Materials” refers to items and information created or collected during research, such as audio recordings, datasets, specifications, biological samples, devices, or chemical samples. “Supporting information” includes records like notes, plans, schedules, or other documentation that help describe or support the IP.
MIT’s Inventions and Proprietary Information Agreement (IPIA) helps ensure that IP is managed in a way that supports MIT’s mission and meets the Institute’s obligations to research sponsors. By signing the IPIA, individuals assign IP ownership to MIT so it can be protected and used for future research and development. With limited exceptions, the IPIA must be signed by employees, faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral associates, fellows, visitors, research affiliates, and certain staff affiliates.
MIT’s full policy on intellectual property ownership—whether the IP is owned by MIT or not—is outlined in Policies & Procedures § 13.1. If you have questions about IP ownership, MIT’s Technology Licensing Office (TLO) is happy to help and can be reached at tlo@mit.edu.