The Lemelson Foundation

Do you know a high school student interested in trains, the history and future of railroads, and creating more sustainable transportation for the future? Encourage them to apply to the Rail Innovation In Action Program! Presented by the California State Railroad Museum and the Lemelson-MIT Program, the Rail Innovation In Action Program is a free online course where students learn about real-world challenges and opportunities facing the railroad industry — including the current layout of the US railway system, improvements to diesel electric locomotives, electrification and high-speed rail, and alternative fuels. Throughout the six-week virtual program, students will learn about these topics from guest speakers and hone their research and invention development skills through lab simulations, group exercises, virtual tours, and more. The application deadline has been extended to August 25th, 2024! Students can learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/extgbrxz #invention #innovation #STEM #STEMeducation #STEMlearning

Attention engineering community — if you’re interested in how engineers can help navigate the challenges of a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world, join us at this year’s Engineering Change Lab - USA 2024 Engineering Ideas Institute from September 23-25 in Boulder, Colorado. Sponsored by The Lemelson Foundation and Engineering for One Planet, this event offers a forum to exchange ideas on shifting paradigms in the engineering profession — and a space to discuss how the engineering community can potentially address widespread and fast-moving issues like disinformation and misinformation, climate change, AI, DEI, and social justice. If you want to dive deeper into these topics or determine how you can help drive change in your own organization, the Engineering Ideas Institute is the place for you. Register at https://lnkd.in/e-XNt2eH #EngineeringforOnePlanet #sustainability #environmental #engineering #HigherEd #EngineeringEducation #SustainableEngineering #ClimateAction #AI #Diversity #Inclusion #STEM

At last month's annual Invention Convention Worldwide (U.S. Nationals) competition at The Henry Ford, Lemelson Foundation Vice President, Dr. Robert Lemelson showcased a screening of his film, "Patent Man," to hundreds of youth inventors from across the country who descended upon Dearborn, MI to present their inventions. Following the film's screening, a member of the audience asked Dr. Lemelson what the most important thing was that he learned from his father. He responded: “To believe in yourself and to believe that you can - with your ideas - accomplish great things in the world. My father would say that there will be many roadblocks along the inventive journey. There are going to be many people saying that you can’t do it. In fact, my brother and I used to do that to my dad. He would come up with an idea at dinner, and we would always say, ‘Oh Jerry, that’s a crazy idea. You can’t do that. That’ll never happen in the world. That’s like Star Trek technology that’ll be here in a thousand years!’ And we were wrong. We told him no, and he always pushed it aside and said, “Well, I think I can try.” "Well, I think I can try," a simple, yet powerful, statement that speaks volumes about our Founder's unwavering belief in his vision and the power of invention as well as his fortitude in the face of doubt. Jerry’s many "crazy ideas" became a reality, shaping the world we live in today. From cordless phones to desktop computers to robots and so much more, Jerry’s inventions transformed industries and sparked the imaginations of countless others. Today, we honor and celebrate Jerry’s spirit. His vision wasn't just for a future of technological marvels, it was a vision for a world where anyone with an idea and a strong will could make a positive difference. The Lemelson Foundation carries Jerry’s torch forward, inspiring a new generation of dreamers and doers. Thank you, Jerry, for showing us the power of belief in one’s self; for reminding us that even "crazy ideas" can change the world. Happy Birthday! For more information on Jerry’s inventive journey, including a list of his patents, visit the Smithsonian Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at: https://lnkd.in/ehz6qjf. #Inventor #invention #founder #JerryLemelson #happybirthday

“You can't just identify a problem and create a solution without asking the people who are being directly affected by it,” says collegiate inventor and entrepreneur Molly Grace. In our latest Invention Notebook article, we interviewed Molly about how she worked with teachers and middle school students to come up with a unique school curriculum to address two challenging issues affecting young people in her community of Klamath Falls, Oregon: vaping and nutrition.   She and fellow Oregon Institute of Technology student Grant Kightlinger developed an activity based on popular escape rooms — called the “FairPlay Challenge” — to give students a fun, hands-on approach to learning about the negative health effects of vaping and ways to navigate grocery stores to find healthier food options. Molly shares more about their journey from ideation to invention, winning a prize at the local Catalyze Klamath Falls challenge and competing at the statewide invention competition Invent Oregon, and the important roles mentorship and community support have played in finding her path towards innovation and entrepreneurship: https://bit.ly/4f4YNlL University Innovation Fellows Hallie Neupert Kendra Santiago SmithBates Marcomm Solutions Kristy M. Weidman, Associate Business Professor Klamath Community College Oregon Small Business Development Center Network #Invention #Entrepreneurship #InventionEducation #Oregon #Innovation

Through the VentureWell E-Teams Program, student entrepreneurs are developing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The Summer 2024 VentureWell E-Teams Program is underway, with 23 student ventures selected to begin their entrepreneurship journey, testing the marketability and scalability of their inventions while learning entrepreneurial skills. A few of these teams include: 🔋Gabriel Riegert and Georges Macheta from the University of St. Thomas co-founded Converteca, a startup that recycles lithium ion batteries and sells them back to manufacturers, creating a sustainable supply chain and reducing harmful environmental waste. 🏥 Lili Hostetler and Logan Rogge from Washington University in St. Louis are designing affordable and interchangeable prosthetics toolkits under their venture Phoenix Biomedical to increase accessibility in medical technology. 💆🏾♀️ University of California, Berkeley students Gamini Garg, Mah Kadidia Konate, and Tomi Ojoyeyi of HairRobotics are developing robotics technology that improves hair braiding efficiency, reducing a typically costly and labor-intensive process. With longtime support from The Lemelson Foundation, VentureWell’s E-Teams program has trained over 570 student teams and 1,400 student innovators to bring high-impact innovations from the lab to the market. Meet the rest of the Summer 2024 E-Team Program Teams and discover their innovative products, ranging from advancements in healthcare and medical technology to sustainable solutions for waste management: https://lnkd.in/e7zaVsHW  #Invention #Entrepreneurship #Healthcare #SustainableSolutions #StudentVentures #MedicalTech #Environment #STEM #Innovation

Get to know one of the Foundation’s new Climate Action Initiative grantees: Action for the Climate Emergency (ACE) recognizes the power of youth advocacy in combating the global climate crisis. ACE is a nonprofit mobilizing over half a million youth in all 50 states to take action and raise awareness in their communities and online. The Lemelson Foundation is supporting ACE’s mission to offer young people tools and education to become active agents of change. Committed to giving youth a sense of agency over the climate crisis, ACE has a variety of programs that provide participants with tangible, actionable ways to advocate for climate justice, like the ACE Youth Action Network. It conducts in-person and virtual campaigns using storytelling and online creators to educate and inform the public about the latest news in the fossil fuel industry and how they can support pro-climate and clean energy initiatives. In addition, ACE offers educators the resources they need to bring climate education into their classrooms through their flagship Our Climate Our Future program.    To learn more about ACE, visit: https://lnkd.in/eDnYV-7i Read more about our Climate Initiative here: https://lnkd.in/enK9Pm-S #ACE #YouthAdvocacy #ClimateEducation #ClimateChange

Turn up the volume! Recently, EOP Strategic Consultant Cindy Anderson (Alula Consulting) joined John Corliss (PEER Consultants, P.C. and Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers) for a podcast in which they discussed: 🌳 EOP's goals for a greener future 📚 Actionable resources for educators & engineers ♻️The REAL impact of sustainable industrial engineering Click below to be inspired and equipped to make a difference! #EOP #EngineeringforOnePlanet #SustainableEngineering #EngineeringEducation #Podcast #FutureEngineers

The fossil energy system is incredibly inefficient, with nearly two-thirds of the global energy supply wasted during the production, transportation, and end-use processes. While advancements in energy efficiency are already reducing CO2 emissions, there is still a huge opportunity to improve efficiency further and add additional value to the energy system. Cleantech such as wind and solar, heat pumps, and electric vehicles are around three times more efficient than their fossil fuel-using counterparts. These solutions can pair with other efficiency actions to squeeze out fossil fuels, by avoiding demand while shifting supply. Beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions and costs, energy efficiency reaches everyone with an abundance of benefits: 👷 Millions more jobs 🚑 Millions fewer pollution deaths 🛡️ More energy security 🏘️ More comfort in homes 🌳 More protection of nature for a livable planet Learn more about the incredible power of energy efficiency: https://bit.ly/3XLkWzi #EnergyEfficiency #Cleantech #Climatetech

Challenging times call for bold inventions, not just tweaks on the old. The world needs your creativity, your curiosity, and your willingness to experiment! 💡 Invention isn't just about fancy gadgets (although those are cool too!). It's about systemically tackling the root causes of problems, engineering a more sustainable future, and redefining how we build a world that functions inclusively for all. Special thanks to Steve Anderson and Fast Company for spotlighting the transformative power of #invention in last month's publication: https://lnkd.in/gWfvmaTZ. All of us here at The Lemelson Foundation believe inventors will solve our biggest challenges and improve lives in communities across the U.S. and around the world. Let's dream big, experiment fearlessly, and invent a better tomorrow! #invention #innovation #problemsolvers

On July 11 at 3:30 PM, join ED for “Supporting Women and Girls of Color in STEM,” a webinar on ways to help women and girls of color excel in STEM pathways and careers. Register: https://lnkd.in/et_NrNNP