“Humans of the Commons at the Creative Commons Global Summit 2018” by Sebastiaan ter Burg is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The 2021 CC Global Summit (September 20-24) is on the horizon, and we have another ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter’ Q&A for you! Meet Dr. Matthew Rimmer, a Professor in Intellectual Property and Innovation Law at the Faculty of Business and Law, at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). He has published widely on copyright law and information technology, patent law and biotechnology, access to medicines, plain packaging of tobacco products, intellectual property and climate change, Indigenous Intellectual Property, and intellectual property and trade. He is undertaking research on intellectual property and 3D printing; the regulation of robotics and artificial intelligence; and intellectual property and public health (particularly looking at the coronavirus COVID-19). His work is archived at QUT ePrints, SSRN Abstracts, Bepress Selected Works, and Open Science Framework. 

Based in?: Brisbane, Australia (As the Men at Work song goes, “I come from a Land down under” )

Summit Session: Adbusting Big Tobacco; Australia’s TRIPS Waiver Wobble; The Right to Repair

How did you get involved with Creative Commons?

My interest in intellectual property and the commons arose as a student in the 1990s – and pre-dates the establishment of the Creative Commons.

How many times have you been to CC Global Summit?

This is my 4th consecutive Creative Commons Summit (following on from Toronto, Canada, Lisbon, Portugal, and the Corona-Lockdown Virtual Summit).

What was your favorite CC Global Summit?

Lisbon, Portugal

In the future, what is something you would like to see at the CC Summit?

I would like to see the Creative Commons movement grapple with the grand challenges of the sustainable development goals – such as poverty and inequality, education and access to knowledge, public health, climate action, and responsible consumption and production.

Why are you an advocate for Open?

I am an advocate for open innovation in order to address and achieve the goals of access to knowledge, health for all, and climate justice.

“‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ signals the need for intergenerational justice — the demand for long-term solutions to global challenges.”

What is your proudest achievement?

I was part of the collective effort – which brought about the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products in Australia, and its defence in the High Court of Australia, an ISDS tribunal, and the WTO. Standardized packaging for tobacco products has proven to be an effective means of tackling the global tobacco epidemic in a range of countries around the world.

What is the best part of what you do? What is the most difficult part of what you do?

The best part of my work is building research networks and social movements to advocate for law reform in respect of intellectual property in areas of public policy. The most difficult part of my work is that the intellectual property debates I care about are perennial battles – they require long-term work and advocacy.

What is your favorite GIF?

The Laughing Kookaburra is my favourite GIF – as I hear and see Kookaburras where I live every day. 

What tool/platform/app are you loving right now?

Nugs. It has been wonderful to watch live music by Sleater-Kinney and Wilco – while in lockdown in Australia, and during interruptions and cancellations to performing arts events in Australia.

What is the biggest setback you have experienced? How did you overcome it?

Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly has a great song about solutions for a “Stumbling Block”.

If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?

Open Innovation has powerful collaborative, community-based solutions for global challenges – such as the tobacco epidemic, the Coronavirus pandemic, and runaway climate change.

What was the best career advice you ever received? What was the worst career advice you ever received?

Best Career Advice – You’ll Never Walk Alone, The Kop, Anfield, Liverpool FC. 

Worst Career Advice – You’ll never work in this town again, from a Senior Professor after I spoke up about access to essential medicines in the National Australian media.

What would you like to say to Creative Commons on our 20th anniversary?

The Creative Commons needs to lift its ambitions to tackle the pressing Sustainable Development Goals in the future.

What does ‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ mean to you?

‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ signals the need for intergenerational justice – the demand for long-term solutions to global challenges.

Have you registered for the 2021 CC Global Summit yet? Don’t worry if you haven’t, there is still time. Register here >>