The Lemelson Foundation

Today’s students are coming up with amazing ideas for inventions that could change our world for the better. Our grantee Society for Science recently spotlighted hundreds of these innovative ideas with the announcement of the Top 300 Junior Innovators for the 2024 Thermo Fisher Scientific #JuniorInnovators Challenge (JIC)! JIC is a premier middle school science and engineering competition that fuels students’ creativity and problem-solving skills through invention education — challenging them to invent new solutions to pressing issues. It also provides a platform to present their projects on a national stage, along with the chance to receive awards that can kick start their science or engineering careers. Out of the 2,000 middle school students who applied, 300 were selected to advance to the next stage. Their projects center on developing engineering solutions for environmental and sustainability issues, health challenges, and more. Here are just some examples: ?? One student is working to blend seaweed with other materials to create a food-safe biofabric.? ?? Another student is exploring the use of animal bone waste to help filter water to make clean drinking water more accessible.? ?? Many students are incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning to develop apps and assistive devices for people with visual impairments, autism, anxiety, and speech disorders.? ?? Others are working to use these new technologies to potentially detect and identify different types of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. To learn more about the competition and view the full list of students and their projects, visit https://lnkd.in/gHi_ZFE8 And follow Society for Science and Thermo Fisher Scientific as they prepare to share the 30 finalists later this week. Those selected could win over $100,000 in awards and prizes, including the $10,000 Lemelson Foundation Award for Invention #Invention #STEM #STEMEducation #STEMLearning #Innovation #AI #JIC #ScienceEducation #InventionEducation

“If you’re a parent, teacher, youth leader, or anyone involved in educating K-12 students in any way, you have the power to reduce barriers to innovation.” A recent piece from the Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at Arizona State University discusses the benefits of invention education, and announces the expansion of Lemelson Foundation grantee The Henry Ford’s Invention Convention Worldwide into Arizona. Invention Convention Worldwide is a K-12 invention education organization that empowers students to solve challenges through inventing, and to pitch their solutions at local, regional, state, and national competitions. Bringing this initiative to Arizona presents an exciting opportunity for students at participating schools, youth organizations, and homeschool groups to engage in their programming and competitions, creating more pathways to invention and innovation for all K-12 youth in the region. The Edson E+I Institute describes invention education as a great equalizer in the classroom, and highlights how programs like Invention Convention Worldwide are improving access to #STEM #education for all students. Read the full blog, and if you’re an Arizona-based educator or administrator, learn how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/eK3JpaW6 #InventionConvention #ICW #STEMLearning #STEMEducation #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #ASU Arizona State University

The Lemelson Foundation is proud to support a new art exhibit in Los Angeles opening to the public this week at the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)! “No Prior Art: Illustrations of Invention,” presented by LAPL and the Library Foundation of Los Angeles, draws on the library's rich #patent and #intellectualproperty resources and showcases loaned and specially commissioned works from #inventors across the country. At this evening's opening reception, members of our Board walked through the doors of the Central Library's Getty Gallery and into a fascinating exploration at the intersection of art, science, and invention, featuring everything from historic artifacts to mind-blowing contemporary artworks. From Mixografia's unique 3D prints to Pippa Garner's outrageous inventions and Kaos Network's Afrofuturistic creations, this exhibit showcases ~150 contemporary and historical photographs, drawings, models, and inventions that explore the powerful and diverse legacy of #innovation in America. A monumental sculpture by artist Shervone Neckles-Ortiz honors the contributions of African American inventor, engineer, and poet Lewis H. Latimer and his 1881 invention of carbon filaments that made electric lighting practical and affordable. An 1866 patent model for a side-saddle improvement by Clara A. Bartlett highlighted the creation at a time when intellectual property was the only form of property women in America could legally own. In his remarks, Foundation Vice President Dr. Robert Lemelson shared, “I grew up in a house with an independent inventor, and every day was an adventure…. My father, Jerome Lemelson, was the second most prolific inventor after Thomas Edison in the 20th century with more than 600 patents ranging from toys to robotics to computers to lasers to aeronautics…. Invention is obviously productive and really interesting, it can be lucrative, but mostly it’s quirky and fun, and we see all that showcased in this exhibition. This is a wonderful display of invention, and inventive minds, and creative talent.” Dr. Lemelson went on to share that “one of my dad’s fundamental ideas was that invention and innovation drive economic prosperity, and one of the reasons for American exceptionalism is a strong patent system and the support of independent inventors…. We started The Lemelson Foundation in 1994, and we’re the only foundation in the world that’s promoting independent inventors and invention specifically.” Learn more at https://www.lemelson.org/ If you're inspired by invention and innovation and want to celebrate the human spirit, you won't want to miss this amazing exhibit! It's on view from September 14, 2024 through May 11, 2025 at LAPL’s Central Library. Learn more about “No Prior Art: Illustrations of Invention” at https://lnkd.in/gxFBRuRv.

In order to build on the collective power of movements for climate justice, we need to raise awareness of the true costs of fossil fuels — and make the supporting data and analysis accessible to all. Learn more about one of the Foundation’s newest Climate Action grantees: Oil Change International is a research, communications, and advocacy organization that works with local organizers to help promote a shift to clean energy. OCI works with frontline communities and grassroots organizations to advocate against the use of fossil fuels and realize a more sustainable energy future. To learn more about Oil Change International, visit: https://lnkd.in/eEJn6S8z #ClimateChange #ClimateAction #ClimateEmergency #ClimateChange #ClimateHealth #FossilFree

We are excited to announce the launch of the first edition of D&A's Impact Spotlight where we share in-depth insights on our work on blended and outcomes-based finance. This edition covers the various pathways to deploy foreign catalytic capital to Indian social enterprises particularly in high impact sectors like climate-tech. In partnership with Prime Coalition and with support from The Lemelson Foundation, Desai & Associates has carried out a comprehensive study titled "Barriers and Levers for Catalytic Capital in India," which examines the landscape and pathways for directing foreign catalytic capital to Indian social enterprises. We hope you will subscribe to the newsletter to receive regular updates about what is happening in this space. Please do share your feedback and contact us if you would like to partner to catalyze innovative finance in India. Contributors: Maggie Flanagan | Ashish Kumar | Starlene Sharma | Sarah Kearney | Claudia Alejandra Leon Authors: Kartik Desai | Aashir Sutar | Viyona Mohan | Jonathan John Stakeholders consulted have been tagged in the comments. #BlendedFinance #CatalyticCapital #ClimateFinance

ICYMI -?The Lemelson-MIT Program is hosting a webinar tomorrow, Wednesday, September 11th at 5:00PM PT / 8:00PM ET, to introduce students to intellectual property, copyrights, and trademark processes in the United States. Lemelson-MIT is partnering with other organizations on a series of three educational webinars to help high school students prepare for the 2024-2024 national debate topic about strengthening IP rights in the U.S. The first session will cover the basics of intellectual property law in the United States. Attendees will hear from industry professionals and experts on intellectual property, artificial intelligence, and other issues as they break down the intricacies of the national #IP system. Register ASAP for tomorrow’s webinar at https://lnkd.in/dtbmDKX5 For more details about this series, visit https://lnkd.in/gR4g7fq8 #NationalDebate #IP #IntellectualProperty #IP #Patents #Copyright #Trademark #Invention #Innovation? #Entrepreneurship #STEMlearning

Today begins our Invent It Forward Summit 2024, sponsored by The Lemelson Foundation! We kicked off our 3-day event of learning, networking and engagement with a powerful keynote presentation by Teacher in a Suit Winston Roberts who shared about the opportunities and challenges of AI in education. Then, Winston moderated our panel discussion around that same topic featuring Hannah González of MindSpark, Justin Bruno of Michigan Virtual, and Arnav Chaphalkar, our Most Innovative Award winner from RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals 2024. Special thank you to Winston and all of our special guests for an insightful and inspiring conversation around AI in education. Learn more about Winston Roberts at teacherinasuit.com! #InventionEducation #InventionConvention #InventItForward

There have been amazing advancements in regenerative engineering to treat musculoskeletal conditions — so much so, that the possibility of limb and tissue regeneration is not just a distant dream, but could soon be a reality. This emerging field has been pioneered by Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, who was named 2023 Inventor of the Year by Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO). PBS NewsHour Classroom spoke with Dr. Laurencin and other awardees at IPOEF’s celebration this past winter in Washington, D.C., where they all shared their motivations and inspirations for invention. Dr. Laurencin — an engineer, orthopedic surgeon, and scientist —? discussed the tradition of pursuing medical research in his family and the contributions of Black inventors throughout history. Passionate about inspiring young inventors, he founded the Regenerative Engineering Society which publishes a journal containing a lay summary written at the 8th grade level – encouraging young learners to engage in this exciting field. Other awardees include Dr. Irwin M. Jacobs, co-founder of Qualcomm, who was recognized with the IP Champion Award for pioneering the use of CDMA technology to optimize available bandwidth on commercial cell phone networks. Additionally, Audrey Larson, a junior majoring in Material Science Engineering at the University of Connecticut, received the IPOEF’s Inspiration Award for her championing of Intellectual Property rights on behalf of individuals of underrepresented communities. Listen to interviews with each of the the honorees by visiting PBS NewsHour’s website: https://lnkd.in/eWSme7K4 #Patent #Innovation #IPO #IPOEducationFoundation #RegenerativeEnergy #InventoroftheYear #IP #IntellectualProperty #Invention #PBS #InventionEducation

This year, high school debate teams across the country are preparing to tackle an issue related to invention education — protecting?domestic intellectual property (IP) rights. On September 11, InventEd Network member Lemelson-MIT Program and other supporting organizations are welcoming all educators, students, and debate teams interested in learning more about IP to this webinar: “Intellectual Property in Focus: What is it? Who is it for?” If you or your students are interested in this incredible opportunity to learn about IP from leading attorneys, join the webinar at 5:00pm PT; 8:00pm ET to hear?about?the basics of the intellectual property system and the complexities of IP law. Click here to register for this webinar or two more upcoming IP-related webinars in October and November: https://lnkd.in/dtbmDKX5 #inventioneducation #invention #innovation #STEM #STEMlearning #STEMeducation #IntellectualProperty #IP

Third Derivative and RMI are launching Industrial Innovation Cohorts. Enabled by a $2M grant from The Lemelson Foundation, we’re launching the Industrial Innovation Cohorts initiative to source, select, and support the most promising innovations in cement and concrete, iron and steel, and chemicals decarbonization. For startups, this initiative represents an opportunity to get their innovation to market faster through a founder-friendly accelerator program designed with their needs in mind. For our collaborators, it means a front-row seat to the most exciting startups working on industrial decarbonization and access to novel research and analysis on innovation in these sectors. By providing market insights, industry connections, and expert support, we will help startups in these areas scale and deploy new technologies for industrial decarbonization. ? ? Applications are open! Join this transformative effort to reshape heavy industry??? ? Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eq9Aff9K? Or reach out to the team with questions: Kelly Wu Ana Sophia Mifsud Mackenzie Cool Monet Kunz Lindsay Rasmussen #startups #innovation #cement #concrete #industrialdecarbonization