Jeffrey Dollinger is president of Invent Now Inc. and chief development officer of the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation. The foundation runs the Collegiate Inventors Competition – this year’s entry deadline is May 16. One undergraduate and one graduate winner or team each receives $15,000. One grand prize winner or team receives $25,000.
ID: How have the character and quality of submissions changed since the first competition?
JD: One trend we’ve definitely noticed since the Collegiate Inventors Competition’s (CIC) inception in 1991 is how submissions reflect rapidly advancing technology. When we started, we received relatively few entries that dealt with nanotechnology, and now it’s the norm to find a variety of research in that area. We’ve also noticed that more students have a very precise area of study, and their submissions show their dedication to their projects. The grand prize winner in 2006 won for his precise microclimate forecasting model – a meteorology inventor!
ID: What kind of feedback have previous winners given the competition?
JD: They appreciate the fact they’re given a chance to showcase their work. We repeatedly hear that their favorite (albeit terrifying) part of the CIC is presenting their entries to world-class inventors, who also are inductees in the National Inventors Hall of Fame – people such as Don Keck, inventor of fiber optics; Jim West and Gerhard Sessler, inventors of the modern microphone; and Rangaswamy Srinivasan, co-inventor of excimer laser surgery, the basis of LASIK. Finalists also appreciate the chance to interact, learn about other projects and make new connections. And, of course, they appreciate the cash prizes. Many have said that the media attention and peer recognition they received for being a finalist have helped lead to venture capital or other funding to continue their research.
ID: What’s the most satisfying aspect of the competition for you?
JD: Watching the enthusiasm that comes from the student finalists inspires us to keep the program going. The National Inventors Hall of Fame’s mission is to encourage and recognize invention at all age levels, and nowhere is the promise of innovation better exemplified than in the students who participate in the CIC. We also feel fortunate to get a first glimpse of future trends in technology. Finally, the interaction between the students and the inventor judges is rewarding. The inductee judges are genuinely excited and inspired by reviewing the student’s work and appreciate their role in passing the torch to this new generation of innovators.
ID: In what ways is the program encouraging racial and gender diversity among contestants?
JD: While we promote the program to hundreds of colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada, we make special efforts to visit historically African American colleges and universities, women’s colleges and small land-grant colleges. We work with numerous educational associations such as the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Education, the National Societies of Black and Hispanic Physicists, the Women Chemists Committee of the American Chemical Society, the Association of University Women and the National Society of Black Engineers to disseminate information about the competition to their various student affiliates. We also encourage students who aren’t necessarily following science or technology career goals. We’ve had finalists from art, architecture and business programs in the past and expect we’ll see more cross-discipline entries.
ID: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to contestants?
JD: The originality of your invention is a big factor in the judge’s decision. You want to be sure to prove the novelty of your work. Students should be sure that the submission is beyond the idea stage – the invention must be complete, operable (or provable) and the student must present some evidence of successful application.
