Invention Education Initiative

Latest

Recognizing the Power of Invention Education for Re-Engaging Students

Discover how this educator’s introduction to invention education resulted in her students’ presenting at MIT, speaking on a U.S. Department of Education panel, and becoming SXSW finalists.

May 8, 2025

November 4, 2021

Envisioning the Future of Education

Dr. Yong Zhao offers steps to help create a more diverse and inventive education system. Imagine an education system in which every child — regardless of race, gender, ability, or economic status — could realize their full, unique potential and become part of the innovation workforce. Instead of gauging success through standardized tests and benchmark…
May 27, 2020

How To Keep Kids Inspired During Quarantine

“STEM-thusiast” Nate Ball Recommends Shifting Gears and Thinking Like an Inventor As pandemic life persists, millions of parents are facing the same daily dilemma: How to keep kids engaged and inspired in a time when so much of the world is off limits. For inventor and father of two Nate Ball, the solution involves equal…
May 19, 2020

5 Young Inventors Aim to Change the World

Anyone can be an inventor. There are no restrictions on having a bright idea that can change the world. Note: This article was originally published in the Mechanical Engineering magazine at ASME. Click here to read more of ASME’s content. Hannah Herbst with President Barack Obama in front of her research for Beacon, a water energy-capturing device.…
March 10, 2020

Inventing a Better Insect Trap

How One Pennsylvania Teen Found Inspiration in Her Own Backyard How do you quash an insect invasion that threatens your favorite trees? For fourteen-year old Rachel Bergey of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, the answer involves inventing a new product out of garden netting and aluminum foil, and one key strategy: outsmarting the enemy. The spotted lanternfly is…
February 10, 2020

A Teen Inventor’s Experience With Hurricane Sandy Spurs Innovation

That event spurred her to think about other communities vulnerable to natural disasters. Helen Lyons was inspired to invent by a problem she encountered close to home. When she was in fourth grade living in New York City, her neighborhood was devastated by Hurricane Sandy. “The streets turned into rivers, and I remember watching the…