On October 11, 2012, Senator Coons hosted David Kappos, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, for a discussion with doctoral candidates at the University of Delaware and Delaware State University about commercializing technology developed at universities. Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was a cosponsor of the America Invents Act, the 2011 legislation that radically modernized the patent system. Under Secretary Kappos advises the President, the Secretary of Commerce and the Administration on intellectual property matters.