Oregon Programs

The Inventors Ball Room, at the
OMSI's Innovation Station, helps
visitors develop creative
problem-solving skills.

The Lemelson Foundation supports a number of activities in Oregon, including Innovation Station at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), the Microenterprise Inventors Program of Oregon, Saturday Academy, Oregon MESA, Project Get Ready and the Smart Garage Summit.

Oregon MESA

Oregon MESA (Math, Engineering, Science, Achievement) is a pre-college academic program based at Portland State University’s Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science. MESA develops and implements after school science, math and engineering programs, and hosts an competition for 6th-12th graders. For more information visit: MESA

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)

The Lemelson Foundation is one of four founding partners of OMSI’s Innovation Station, the museum's flagship hall. Innovation Station offers visitors of all ages a variety of ways to engage in problem solving, technology and innovation. For more information visit: OMSI

Saturday Academy

The Foundation granted funds to Saturday Academy, the Portland-based enrichment program, to expand and enhance its Apprenticeships in Science and Engineering (ASE) Program. ASE addresses concerns about the quantity, quality and diversity of the technical and scientific work force in the U.S. by placing talented high school students throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington in full-time summer science and engineering apprenticeships. For more information visit: Saturday Academy

Microenterprise Inventors Program of Oregon (MIPO)

The Micro-enterprise Inventors Program of Oregon (MIPO) provides independent inventors in Oregon access to resources, mentoring, training and networking to develop their inventions, secure intellectual property, and build businesses. For more information visit: MIPO

Smart Garage Summit

The Lemelson Foundation provided support for the Rocky Mountain Institute’s October, 2008 collaborative design summit. Held in Portland, OR, it brought together car manufacturers, battery companies, utilities, government entities and other industry players to identify and discuss the breakthroughs that could make plug-in vehicles a reality. For more information visit: Smart Garage Summit or Rocky Mountain Institute.

Project Get Ready

With funding from the Foundation and others, the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Project Get Ready initiative is developing a menu of incentives that will be used by selected cities to become pioneers in the push for plug-in electric cars. For more information visit: Project Get Ready.