Benden receives Patent Awards from A&M System

Mark E. Benden, Ph.D., CPE, assistant professor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, received two Patent Awards by The Texas A&M University System Office of Technology Commercialization. Awards were given to individuals and teams currently employed by the A&M System and whose inventions were granted patent protection from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office in 2011.

Dr. Benden’s patents were for stand-biased desk designs for the classroom. He has been conducting research into practical ways to get children and adults up and moving in the office and in school to reduce sedentary behavior and obesity while improving attention and focus.

“The increase in technology induced inactivity, screen time and health-related co-morbidity is unfortunately leading us to develop more creative methods of improving physical activity,” Dr. Benden stated.

These patents are licensed to Positive Motion LLC, who is producing and marketing the desks under the Stand2Learn brand to K-12 and college markets.