This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat is a special collaboration featuring Dr. Rory Cooper, VPG Founder Ashley Cheung and guest interviewer Shirley Fung representing ADAPT.legal. This is a special collaboration between Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), VPG and ADAPT.legal.  National Medal Laureate Rory A. Cooper, PhD, PLY is the founding director of the HERL, a joint center of the University of Pitt and US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He is also a VA Senior Research Career Scientist, and the FISA Foundation – Paralyzed Veterans of America Distinguished Professor at Pitt.   Cooper has authored or co-authored over 400 peer-reviewed journal publications and is the author of two books: "Rehabilitation Engineering Applied to Mobility and Manipulation” and “Wheelchair Selection and Configuration”, and co-editor of “An Introduction to Rehabilitation Engineering”, “Warrior Transition Leader: Medical Rehabilitation Handbook”, and the award-winning book “Care of the Combat Amputee”. With over 30 patents awarded or pending, Cooper is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering and Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, as well as RESNA, IEEE, AIMBE and BMES.   In October 2023, he was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Biden, and was inducted into the 50th class of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. His students have won numerous awards and are leaders throughout the world.  Connect with Dr. Cooper on LinkedIn.     Ashley Cheung is the creator of Virtual Water Cooler Chat podcast and is the Principal & Founder of VPG.   Guest interviewer Shirley Fung is the Co-Founder and Patent Agent of Akona IP, bringing a wealth of experience to her role in legal operations. With a solid academic foundation, (holding both a bachelor’s and master's from MIT in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), Shirley has honed her expertise across various esteemed organizations, including big law in Boston, boutique IP firms in the Netherlands and in the US, and a global semiconductor leader.  As a seasoned patent agent, Fung adeptly navigates the complexities of patent law, drawing on her experiences as both outside counsel and in-house. This dual perspective enhances her effectiveness in client relationship management and firm operations. Shirley emphasizes the importance of understanding client needs—often anticipating them before they arise. Her commitment to delivering on promises, coupled with her creative problem-solving skills, allows her to balance the big picture with meticulous attention to detail, making her an invaluable leader in the IP boutique sector.  Connect with Shirley Fung on LinkedIn.    ADAPT.legal was founded in December 2021 when a community of friends from different companies came together to brainstorm ways to grow and support the IP profession.  Learn more about ADAPT.legal here.    Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.    Learn more about VPG here.  Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.