News
May 17, 2017miSci Hosting the 2017 Invention Convention – The Capital Region’s Annual Student Invention Competition
miSci is currently presenting an exhibit of invention prototypes created by the 100 semi-finalists of the 2017 Invention Convention – the Capital Region’s annual student invention competition. The creative inventions were chosen from 1,021 student submissions from 31 schools across the Capital Region. A reception will be held at miSci on Thursday, May 18, at 5:30 PM, to celebrate the semi-finalists, followed by a 6:15 PM keynote address and award ceremony to announce the 25 finalists.
Invention Convention is an annual student invention competition open to students from grades K through eight from public, private and home schools. Students are invited to submit proposals of an original idea for a device or a method for solving a problem that can occur in the environment, in technology or industry, in the classroom, home or during leisure time activities. A volunteer team of GE scientists and patent lawyers, along with other professionals from the community evaluated the submissions and chose the top 100 entries and the 25 finalists.
“Since miSci is all about sparking innovation, Invention Convention is an important annual event – requiring the collaboration of area schools, GE, patent attorneys and other corporate supporters,” says miSci President Mac Sudduth. “Solving problems is part of the human experience and in our DNA, and the students seek solutions to real problems that they face in their daily lives. Invention Convention is one of my favorite events, and I know visitors to miSci will be impressed and delighted by the ingenuity of the student inventors, and how they apply lessons from their study of STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math) to solve everyday problems.”
The keynote speaker at the 2017 Award Ceremony will be from a Principal Scientist at GE Global Research, Dr. Marshall Jones, who will deliver a talk on “Being A Dreamer.” A 2017 inductee to the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Dr. Jones will illustrate his path, from a young student to laser pioneer.
Each year, a GE scientist or engineer is selected to be the Invention Convention keynote speaker as one of the many ways the company collaborates with miSci on this initiative. Since the inception of Invention Convention in 1997, GE has supported the competition with more than $95,000 in funding and more than 700 volunteers who serve as judges, school visitors and core planning team members.
The sponsors of Invention Convention 2017 are: GE, miSci, Price Chopper / Market 32, ENYIPLA, Hoffman, Warnick LLC; McNamee, Lochner, Titus & Williams, P.C.; M&T Bank; NYSUT and Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts, LLP.
