Transformed Pupils into Inventors: InvenTeams Project Empowers Student Creation
The Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams Program, established in 2006, is a national high school invention education initiative that supports student teams across the United States in identifying real-world problems and inventing solutions. Over the past 20 years, the program has inspired students' interest and confidence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), and led to at least 19 U.S. patents awarded to InvenTeams [1].
The program provides each team with a $7,500 grant, mentorship, and technical resources to develop their prototypes, culminating in presentations at MIT's Eurekafest event each spring [1]. This year, teams from Lubbock, Texas; Edison, New Jersey; Nitro, West Virginia; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and for the first time, MIT's backyard, showcased their inventions at Eurekafest 2023 [1].
One of the standout projects was from the students of Garey High School in California, who developed a sensor device to help monitor foot health in diabetic patients and prevent amputations [1]. Another team from Cambridge created a communication device for rowers on crew teams [1].
The program is part of the broader Lemelson-MIT Program funded by The Lemelson Foundation, a philanthropy established in 1993 by inventor Jerome H. Lemelson and his wife Dorothy. The foundation's mission is to foster invention education and empower young people to become inventors who can make impactful changes in the world [2].
InvenTeams participants engage deeply with their communities, exemplified by projects such as creating cooling systems to protect firefighters and agricultural workers in California. Teams gain experience in intellectual property by filing patents and engaging with policymakers as part of the program’s broader educational goals [1]. The program also supports teacher professional development around invention education, helping expand its reach [3].
Over the course of 12 months, InvenTeams students learn about the problem from the workers, develop a prototype, and file a patent for their invention. For example, the students from Calistoga Junior/Senior High School in California participated in a year-long invention project run by the Lemelson-MIT Program [3]. Their invention aimed to keep firefighters and agricultural workers cool in hot working conditions. After their presentation at Eurekafest, the students were invited to the California State Capitol to share their work with lawmakers [3].
The Lemelson-MIT program has also created a membership program, called Partners in Invention Education, to help more schools adopt invention education. The curriculum stretches from kindergarten to the first two years of college [3].
The success of the InvenTeams program is evident in the increased sense of confidence and interest in STEM subjects that students often report following their InvenTeams experience [1]. The program has been successful in inspiring students and changing their perceptions of themselves and what they're capable of. This aligns with the program’s goal to inspire the next generation of innovators to solve socially meaningful problems through invention.
[1] Lemelson-MIT Program. (n.d.). About InvenTeams. Retrieved from https://www.inventeams.org/about/
[2] The Lemelson Foundation. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://lemelson.org/about-us/
[3] Lemelson-MIT Program. (n.d.). Partners in Invention Education. Retrieved from https://www.inventeams.org/partners-in-invention-education/
[4] Lemelson-MIT Program. (n.d.). InvenTeams in Action. Retrieved from https://www.inventeams.org/inventeams-in-action/
- The Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams Program, a national initiative, supports students in researching real-world problems and innovating solutions, ultimately leading to at least 19 U.S. patents awarded over the past 20 years.
- The program provides students with mentorship, grants, and resources to develop their prototypes, with presentations happening annually at MIT's Eurekafest event.
- This year, teams from various locations like Lubbock, Texas, showcased their inventions at Eurekafest 2023, including a sensor device developed by students of Garey High School in California for monitoring foot health in diabetic patients.
- The program is part of the broader Lemelson-MIT Program funded by The Lemelson Foundation, a philanthropy that emphasizes invention education and fosters the empowerment of young people.
- InvenTeams participants also learn about intellectual property through filing patents and engaging with policymakers, gaining valuable experience in the process.
- The program supports teacher mentorship and professional development around invention education, expanding its reach across various education levels, from kindergarten to the first two years of college.
- Over a 12-month period, students engage deeply with their communities, developing prototypes and filing patents for their inventions, such as the cooling systems created by students from Calistoga Junior/Senior High School in California to protect firefighters and agricultural workers.
- The success of the InvenTeams program has been observed in the increased interest and confidence in STEM subjects that students often report following their participation.
- The program's goal is to inspire the next generation of innovators to solve socially meaningful problems through invention, contributing to public education, education-and-self-development, and STEM education.
