UCL Laws PhD candidate Alice Wickens awarded the IBIL IP Research Scholarship for 2022

The Institute of Brand and Innovation Law (IBIL) at the UCL Faculty of Laws is delighted to welcome new PhD candidate, Alice Wickens, to the UCL Laws PhD programme. Alice is the recipient of the IBIL Research Scholarship for 2022. This scholarship is open to all UCL PhD applicants in the field of intellectual property law and is awarded on the basis of academic merit. Made possible thanks to the generosity of IBIL’s sponsors, the scholarship covers all university fees and provides an annual stipend for a period of three years.

Alice's research project is concerned with artificial intelligence (AI) and UK patent law. This research will consider the issues raised by the advancement in AI, as it continues to rise as a general-purpose technology that has widespread use throughout our society and the economy - and answer the challenging but fundamental questions that sit at the heart of the current UK patent system. Alice’s research project will be completed under the supervision of UCL Laws’ Dr Matt Fisher. Commenting on her award, Alice said:

'I was delighted to receive the IBIL scholarship award. My research will explore a very exciting area of patent law that intersects with state of the art technology. The issue of whether UK patent law, in its present state, is able to deal with the advancement in AI is one that is likely to have a huge impact on society. To be able to undertake this research is a significant opportunity, especially when being supervised by such a renowned academic.'

Before joining UCL Laws, Alice was called to the Bar. Prior to that, she was awared a First Class LL.B degree at the University of Birmingham as a Sir Henry Barber Scholar, and an LL.M in International Business Law (Distinction) at Queen Mary University of London.