College Student Inventors to Compete in Alexandria

PHOTO: 2015 Collegiate Inventors Competition Undergraduate and Graduate Finalists; photo courtesy of USPTO

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The Collegiate Inventors Competition, supported by National Inventors Hall of Fame, United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), AbbVie Foundation, Arrow Electronics and Dupont USA are holding the Collegiate Inventors Competition this week in Alexandria.

The event encourages innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity in students nationwide, according to USPTO. The Expo provides a platform for undergraduate and graduate finalists to showcase their research, breakthroughs, prototypes, inventions and presentations to the public, in an advanced “science fair” format.

In addition to demonstrating their innovations, finalists will interact directly with USPTO patent examiners, USPTO employees, corporate sponsors and members of the Washington, D.C. intellectual property community.

The expo is scheduled for Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m., which will include an awards ceremony at 5 p.m. The event will be broadcast live on Periscope; check the @CollegeInvent Twitter account Tuesday at 3 p.m. for the link. The Collegiate Inventors Competition Expo is free and open to the public and will be held at the USPTO Madison Building Auditorium, 600 Dulany St. in Alexandria.

The Collegiate Inventors Competition recognizes and rewards undergraduate and graduate students who are committed to research, discovery, invention and innovation as they address the problems of today’s world, the USPTO noted.

The Competition provides a platform for university students and advisors to promote their innovation breakthroughs and receive expert feedback from world-renowned inventors and experts. Introduced in 1990, the Competition has awarded more than $1 million to winning students for their innovative work and scientific achievement through the help of its sponsors.

Finalists will present their inventions to a panel of judges comprised of the nation’s most influential innovation leaders in the nation - National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees, USPTO experts and AbbVie scientists.

Winners will be announced at the Collegiate Inventors Competition Awards Ceremony, hosted by Mo Rocca, Emmy winning CBS Sunday Morning correspondent and Host of The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation. The gold Undergraduate Winner will receive $12,500 and the gold Graduate Winner will receive $15,000. Silver and bronze place winners will also be recognized with cash and prizes.

Each year, individuals representing a broad cross-section of technological fields serve as first round judges, selecting the finalists based on originality of the idea, process (or technology used), level of student initiative, as well as potential value and usefulness to society. The Collegiate Inventors Competition is a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and sponsored by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and AbbVie Foundation.