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Kory Murphy: A Legacy Defined by One Play and a Life of Innovation
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Envisioning a Safer Eye Exam
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NSF and Lemelson Foundation Launch Joint Awards Supporting Sustainability in Engineering Education
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A Champion for Sustainability
hardware-led
Latest
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Envisioning a Safer Eye Exam
This young inventor created a synthetic model eye to help medical students train for optical procedures. With more than two million working parts, the eye is considered the second most complex human organ after the brain. So how can medical students train for treating such a complicated and sensitive part of the body? That’s the…
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It’s Not Always Easy Being Green, But It Should Be
A pioneer in the field of green chemistry, John Warner talks about the successes and challenges in creating sustainable change. John Warner is, to put it mildly, passionate about his work. He is a prolific inventor holding more than 300 patents, as well as an educator and entrepreneur. He is most passionate when talking aboutMore
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The Surge in Climate Action Requires a Surge in Green Talent, but How on Earth to Fill the Gap?
Creating a new generation of engineers skilled in sustainability is an investment in the health of people and the planet. By Cindy P. Cooper, Senior Program Officer, The Lemelson Foundation Ambitious climate commitments and sustainability goals are driving a massive trend in the growth of green jobs. As governments and companies across the globe set…
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The Surge in Climate Action Requires a Surge in Green Talent, but How on Earth to Fill the Gap?
Creating a new generation of engineers skilled in sustainability is an investment in the health of people and the planet. Ambitious climate commitments and sustainability goals are driving a massive trend in the growth of green jobs. As governments and companies across the globe set policies and plans to address the climate crisis, there is…
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2022 Inventors’ Day Roundup: Faces of Invention
As we confront complex issues like climate change, sustainable energy, and equitable access to food and healthcare, one throughline is constant: progress and innovation are inextricably linked. In 1992, prolific inventor Jerry Lemelson and his wife Dolly founded The Lemelson Foundation to support invention that improves lives and strengthens economies. Since then, the Foundation has…
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From Plastic Surgeon-in-Training to Inventor: How a Family Tragedy Led One Latina to Improve Lung Disease Diagnosis for the World
Maria Artunduaga, CEO & Founder of Samay. Maria Artunduaga is the CEO and founder of Samay (formerly Respira Labs), a successful startup aimed at providing low-cost, at-home diagnostics for dangerous respiratory conditions. At age 34, Maria Artunduaga took a leap of faith. Ambitious and focused, she was studying plastic surgery — a highly competitive specialty…
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Seven Lessons from a First-time Inventor-Entrepreneur
Tricia Compas-Markman’s journey from engineering to founding a startup for safe drinking water brings valuable takeaways for innovators. I believe that invention can help solve some of our most pressing challenges and improve living conditions for communities across the globe. In particular, disaster relief is an area where innovation can save lives, especially as climate…
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From Plastic Surgeon-in-Training to Inventor: How a Family Tragedy Led One Latina to Improve Lung Disease Diagnosis for the World
Maria Artunduaga is the CEO and founder of Samay, a successful startup aimed at providing low-cost, at-home diagnostics for dangerous respiratory conditions. At age 34, Maria Artunduaga took a leap of faith. Ambitious and focused, she was studying plastic surgery — a highly competitive specialty — at University of Chicago Medicine, on track to become…
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The Lemelson Foundation Invests in VertueLab’s Climate Impact Fund to Catalyze Invention and Deep-Tech Entrepreneurship in the Pacific Northwest
The Lemelson Foundation has invested $500,000 in VertueLab’s Climate Fund I, which seeks to deploy $5 million in catalytic investments to early-stage, technology start-up companies poised to reduce greenhouse gases at scale. The Impact Fund expects to support 15-20 companies primarily located in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska or British Columbia. The support for VertueLab…
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Engineering for Impact
Five Invention-Based Businesses Addressing Development Challenges with Hardware-Led Solutions From COVID to climate change, the world has recently witnessed mounting global challenges that have hindered progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, this year’s report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference have shownMore
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Unlocking the Potential of Hardware-Based Invention to Solve Global Development Challenges
A leader in social enterprise provides advice on how to create a supportive ecosystem of mentorship and funding for game-changing innovation As the international development community looks at the decade ahead, unlocking innovation across the globe will be crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), from health to agriculture to the environment. The pandemic…
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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…
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World Food Day: The Future of Agriculture and Farmer Livelihoods
By Thomas Caffrey Osvald, Executive, Small Foundation and Maggie Flanagan, Program Officer, The Lemelson Foundation Local invention and innovation-driven enterprises are key to solving global food challenges.On this year’s World Food Day, the COVID crisis continues to have a significant impact on the agriculture sector and food supply chains around the world. Nowhere is the…