UNC Charlotte leader appointed to global role at World Intellectual Property Organization

A UNC Charlotte leader will soon be moving to a prominent role at the World Intellectual Property Organization. Laura Peter, executive director of intellectual property and technology transfer, was appointed deputy director general of WIPO’s Patents and Technology Sector in early July. Peter’s six-year term in the role will begin Oct. 1, 2026.

“Laura Peter is a well-respected and thoughtful leader who is perfectly positioned to lead the Patents and Technology Sector at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in its promotion of strong and respected intellectual property throughout the world, most clearly advanced by WIPO’s filing and registration systems,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director John A. Squires in a press release.

Peter joined UNC Charlotte in 2024, leading the office responsible for managing research innovation, disclosures, patents, trademarks, copyrights, licensing and other aspects of technology transfer. The University was recognized among the nation’s leading institutions for patents filed and startups created relative to research expenditures during Peter’s tenure.

“Serving UNC Charlotte has been a privilege,” Peter said. “The University has tremendous research strength and a clear trajectory toward even greater national and international prominence.”

Between 2021 and 2026, the University generated more than 220 new inventions, filed more than 300 patent applications and supported the creation of numerous startup companies based on faculty research. The University also launched the Invention of the Year Awards under Peter’s leadership, giving the community an opportunity to explore and celebrate the accomplishments of faculty.

“UNC Charlotte allowed me to work every day at the intersection of research, intellectual property, entrepreneurship, and economic development,” Peter said. “I saw firsthand the importance of moving discoveries from the laboratory into the marketplace and the critical role that intellectual property plays in that journey.”