This fun holiday celebrates kid inventors from the past and present, such as Benjamin Franklin, and coincides with his birthday. Benjamin Franklin, a kid inventor himself, designed swim fins about 300 years ago. Not only do we use swim fins today, but we also benefit from other such as popsicles, earmuffs and Braille!

91µĽş˝ has a plethora of alumni who are kid inventors across our programs including Lemelson Early Inventor Prize winners from the past few years.

We have also seen through invention educators like Laurel Bingman that these young innovators not only win awards at their local science fairs, but also go on to become great leaders and scientific minds in the world of 91µĽş˝.

Check out just a few of our Lemelson Early Inventor Prize winners from all over the country.

Tackling the invisible threat of black ice

As winter brings icy roads this season, we are inspired by young inventors like Sanvi Kannoori. Sanvi who lives in San Jose, California, created a solution to the frightening dangers of driving on black ice. She designed a prototype that can differentiate between ice and pavement using something called a photoresistor, a sensor that changes its resistance based on the amount of incoming light—the greater the light reflection, the lower the resistance. Sanvi also added a monitor that alerts drivers when they are approaching black ice, helping to keep drivers safe.

A sidewalk that sips water? One middle schooler makes a new concrete mix to stop flooding

After observing flooding in his neighborhood from extreme rainfall, Luca Durham, a sixth grader from Miami, Florida, tested different concrete mixes to find which would best absorb water and help prevent flooding. Luca crushed oyster shells, seashells, charcoal, gravel and diatomaceous earth to create his absorbing concrete. He found that the best mix was 30% diatomaceous earth and 70% cement with gravel, demonstrating how sustainable materials in concrete can help reduce flooding.

Making a house a home with energy all year round

Tochi Ugochukwu, a seventh grader from Rochester, New York. combined his passion for engineering with his desire to help his community by creating a solar protection and absorption system. His innovative blinds harness energy from the sun, keeping homes powered all year-round. Tochi designed the solar-powered blinds to store and use the energy to power LEDs. Not only were the blinds effective, but he also tried to make the blinds affordable as well, bringing the total cost down to $30.

A friend’s experience with asthma inspired this eighth grader to create a wearable inhaler for emergency relief on-the-go

Akhil Gandikota completed three prototypes of the Emergency Wristwatch Inhaler, the third of which had a near-100% success rate after he witnessed a friend struggling to find his inhaler hidden deep in his backpack. His research led him to dry powder inhalers and capsules, and he then began the process of designing a wearable device capable of breaking a capsule to deliver prescribed medicine to the user.

Young inventor generates ideas for future energy sources

Lilly Downs decided to focus on an environmental and engineering project for her local science fair project. Inspired by sustainable energy solutions, she designed and built a prototype for an ocean wave electricity generator that powered an LED light, demonstrating how renewable energy can contribute to a sustainable future.

To learn more about the Lemelson Foundation and their support for students and educators in 91µĽş˝, check out their .

The post Five kid inventors to inspire you this Kid Inventors’ Day appeared first on 91µĽş˝.

Medication non-adherence is a widespread and often-overlooked public health crisis. , seventy-five percent of Americans struggle to take their medicines as directed, contributing to an estimated 125,000 deaths each year and accounting for up to 69% of hospital admissions. The burden is especially heavy for the elderly, those managing complex treatment plans, and patients facing language barriers.

For Gregory Shechter, an eighth grader at Palos Verdes Intermediate School in Palos, Verdes California, these staggering figures weren’t just statistics. They were personal.

As he witnessed his grandfather bravely battle colon cancer, he was struck by how challenging it was to organize his regimen of nearly 30 pills a day. Despite his grandmother’s careful notes, keeping track of what to take when remained a constant struggle. Witnessing this challenge firsthand inspired Gregory to act. “I wanted to build a device that could help my grandfather and others like him,” he said. “What if technology could help save lives, one pill at a time?”

He set to work building a device to address the problem. His invention, called PillBot, is a robotic dispenser that automatically releases pills on schedule and provides both audible and visual alerts to guide users. Unlike many commercial pill dispensers, which cost between $100 and $2,000, Gregory’s design uses 3D-printed parts that dramatically cut production costs. The filament for the dispenser’s shell costs only about $10 per kilogram, making the system more accessible to those who need it.

At the heart of PillBot is a custom dispensing mechanism. Gregory programmed an Arduino Uno and servo motors to release pills onto a dispensing ramp. His compact, two-layered design houses the medicine tubes, electronics and ramp within a user-friendly 3D-printed shell. Unlike commercial systems, his open-source design allows users to adapt and customize the dispenser for different pill types, schedules or personal needs.

The engineering process came with challenges. To fix early jams and non-round pills, Gregory redesigned the servo attachments three times, making them thinner, adjusting the alignment, and adding an indent to secure gear connections. After these refinements, PillBot dispensed pills with 96.7% accuracy across 30 trials. “Redesigning was the hardest part,” he said, “but once I got it working, it was amazing to see the accuracy improve.”

His favorite part? Talking to judges at the Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair, and California State Science and Engineering Fair. “I was nervous at first, but by the end, I didn’t want it to be over,” he said. “I wanted to keep sharing my project, doing demos and talking to fascinating people.” Those conversations not only boosted his confidence but also gave Gregory ideas for future improvements.

For his innovative efforts, Gregory received a Lemelson Early Inventor Prize. On receiving this recognition, Gregory said, “I built the PillBot in honor of my grandfather, who passed away last year. He was my biggest supporter, along with my parents. He always believed in my potential, and this award feels like a special way of honoring his memory.”

Read about another recent Lemelson Early Inventor Prize winnerĚýhere.

The post PillBot: Saving lives one pill at a time appeared first on 91µĽş˝.

For most of us, a big rainstorm means grabbing an umbrella or staying inside, but for Luca Durham, a 6^th grader from Miami, Florida, a major downpour sparked an idea for a science project. After watching his neighbor’s driveway flood and spill water onto the street, making it difficult to drive, ĚýLuca began to question whether there was a better way to manage rainwater.

“Maybe there was a way to make concrete that could soak up water instead of flooding the street,” he wondered.

Luca dove into research on a material called porous concrete, designed to allow water to pass through it. However, he quickly discovered the concrete’s flaws; existing versions often aren’t strong enough for real-world use and can get clogged with dirt. He wanted to find a stronger and more reliable alternative.

“One day, after taking a shower, I stepped on my stone bathmat and noticed how fast it absorbed the water from my feet,” Luca shares. “It was kind of like a sponge, and I wanted to know what it was made from. I found out it was made from diatomaceous earth, which comes from tiny, fossilized algae.”

This discovery led to a new question: could Luca add diatomaceous earth to concrete to create a stronger, more absorbent material?

“I wanted to find additives that could help concrete drain water but still be strong. I also looked for materials that were sustainable or things people usually throw away, because I wanted my project to help both people and the environment,” he says.

First, Luca chose crushed oyster shells and seashells, which are typically discarded as waste. Their curved shapes create tiny gaps in the concrete, helping water flow through. Next, he added charcoal, a porous material that can be made from waste wood and is known for its filtering properties. He also included gravel, because it’s already known to make porous concrete stronger and give water clear paths to drain. Lastly, he added diatomaceous earth, the material used in his bathmat, which he hoped would increase the concrete’s ability to absorb water.

Luca tested them for drainage, absorption and strength. His hypothesis was that a mix of 30% diatomaceous earth and 70% cement with shells would work best because the shells could create spaces for water to flow and the diatomaceous earth could soak up extra water. ĚýIn the end, Luca found that the best mix was 30% diatomaceous earth and 70% cement with gravel. “This project shows that using sustainable materials in concrete can help reduce flooding, improve water drainage and create a more environmentally friendly infrastructure,” Luca explains.

The tests didn’t always go smoothly, Luca shared. At first, he used the wrong ratio of cement to additives, and it was difficult to get all of his seashells and charcoal pieces to be the same size. While he acknowledged that he got frustrated at times, Luca said the experience taught him not to give up.

“I loved seeing the science in action and figuring out which materials made the biggest difference,” Luca says. “But the best part was realizing that I might have created something no one has ever tried before. It felt amazing to see my idea actually work and to think I might have invented a new kind of concrete that could help people.”

Luca entered his project in the South Florida Science and Engineering Fair, where he won the Lemelson Early Inventor Prize, a win that Luca says, “inspires me to keep thinking of new ideas and ways to solve problems.” Next, he plans to strengthen his concrete by adding carbon fiber strips so that it can hold more weight. “My dream is to create a sidewalk material that is strong, eco-friendly, and helps keep streets from flooding.”

The post A sidewalk that sips water? One middle schooler makes a new concrete mix to stop flooding appeared first on 91µĽş˝.

Solar power is often seen as one of the most promising renewable energy sources, but how efficient are the solar panels mounted on the rooftops of homes across the country? That question captured the imagination of one middle school student who saw an opportunity for large-scale improvement.

Ojal Astagikar was an eighth grader at Meyzeek Middle School in Louisville, Kentucky, last year when she made an intriguing observation. While walking around her community, she noticed that many solar panels were installed in a fixed direction, most often facing west. That struck her as less than ideal, since fixed panels aren’t positioned to capture the maximum energy during midday, when the sun is at its peak.

“If homeowners could install solar tracking systems that follow the sun’s movement throughout the day,” she said, “they could significantly increase their panels’ energy output.”

That simple observation grew into an ambitious science fair project, which she called “Building and Testing a Sun-Tracking Solar Panel.” Using light sensors called photoresistors, Ojal built a system that moves the solar panel to follow the sun throughout the day. ĚýWhen one side of the panel is shaded, a servo motor rotates it until both sensors read evenly, keeping the panel as perpendicular to the sun’s rays as possible. She tested her design by comparing the voltage produced by her tracker to that of a traditional fixed-mount system. She found that her tracker consistently generated more electricity, confirming that a panel aligned with the sun captures significantly more energy.

Her project was about more than technical innovation. It explored how solar tracking can benefit society, as solar panels are vital in efforts to curb the acceleration of climate change. Improving their efficiency Ěýcan also help reduce carbon footprints and electricity bills, while increasing energy independence.

The stakes are high. According to Ojal, over 25 years, a solar-tracking panel could help the average homeowner save up to $41,000 in electricity costs, all while the need for sustainable energy continues to grow. Her invention points toward a future in which cleaner, more reliable energy keeps pace with rising demand.

Ojal is already thinking about next steps for her research. She imagines a future version that might use a dual-axis system, with four photoresistors and two servo motors, to track the sun both east-to-west and north-to-south for even greater accuracy.

For her creativity, Ojal was awarded a Lemelson Early Inventor Prize at the Kentucky Science and Engineering Fair.

On winning the award, she said, “It means a lot to me, especially as a rising freshman. Applying 91µĽş˝ subjects to real-world projects fuels my curiosity and lays a foundation for my future goals. I’m grateful for the encouragement this prize gives me to keep innovating and solving real-world problems through science and engineering.”

Read about another recent Lemelson Early Inventor Prize winner here.

The post Kentucky middle schooler designs a smarter solar panel that tracks the sun appeared first on 91µĽş˝.

Across the country, young inventors are using their empathy and creativity to design visual aids for the blind or visually impaired. While scattered across the country, they all share a similar motivation: to make life easier for those who cannot see.

In the United States, approximately have visual impairments, including 1 million who are blind. This year, multiple middle school Lemelson Early Inventor Prize winners looked at this problem, developing innovative solutions that address a pressing national and global need.

Sanjey Gopinath’s Smart Walking Stick

Sanjey Gopinath, 7^th grader from Louisville, Kentucky, transformed a standard walking stick into an “IoT-Enabled Obstacle Detecting Walking Stick” designed to help the visually impaired do their daily tasks safely.

The device uses sensors with a 50-centimeter range to predict obstacles before they are encountered, sending an auditory signal to alert the user when obstacles are detected. Sanjey says this invention took hours of research and engineering models.

Sanjey says winning the Lemelson Early Inventor Prize at the Dupont Manual High School Regional Fair was a prestigious and profound honor.

“This recognition will inspire me to continue my scientific journey and will inspire me to build more inventions to make the world a better place,” Sanjey says. “This prize will be one of my most unforgettable accomplishments because this is my first year of starting my scientific journey. By accomplishing this achievement, I am starting to improve and enhance my ideas and future studies.”

Katalina Huerta’s Visionary Stick

While new to coding, Katalina Huerta, 7^th grader from Corpus Christi, Texas, enhanced a basic walking stick into a robotic, coded walking stick, winning the Lemelson Early Inventor Prize at the Coastal Bend Regional Science Fair.

The obstacle-detecting stick uses detection code sensors, giving users the option of choosing which program they want to use. Whether they prefer verbal alerts from the robot or one in which they can turn away or back away without the voice setting.

“I often heard stories about my great grandma and how she became blind due to diabetes,” Katalina says. “She lost her independence—something that she struggled with. I’ve always loved helping people and wanted to create something that could give visually impaired individuals a sense of independence.”

Katalina said the most challenging part of her project was coding, since this was her first project using it. She embraced the challenge and even participated in two coding classes over the summer to strengthen her coding skills.

Omuwa Izah’s Ultrasonic, Auditory and Tactile Feedback System for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Omuwa Izah, 8^th grader from Galloway, New Jersey, created a three-part navigation and obstacle system for blind and visually impaired users.

Her project makes extensive use of Arduino, an open-source platform for building electronic projects, along with circuit boards, coding and modules to design a system that helps effectively navigate their surroundings.

A novice coder, Omuwa stayed determined throughout her project (and learned from scratch!) how to assemble the components of each system and created a unique invention, earning the Lemelson Early Inventor Prize at the Delaware Valley Science Fair.

The project includes a Bluetooth walking stick, a vibrational Bluetooth glove and ultrasonic glasses. It provides ultrasonic, auditory and tactile feedback.

“The system is not perfect, but for something with multiple parts that costs under $100, built by a student and not a huge tech company charging $500. I’d say this system is a solid start,” Omuwah says.

She will continue her research with many ideas to stir, Omuwa aims to keep the product affordable, functional and customizable for each user.

Shiven Jha & Harshul Sing Use AI-powered Object Detection and Distance Calculation to Help the Visually Impaired

This team project by 8^th graders Shiven Jha and Harshul Sing, participants in the Rhode Island Science and Engineering Fair, uses AI to create an assistive system for the blind and visually impaired. The system is powered by three main components: wake word detection, object detection and stereo vision/distance calculation. It activates when the user says the wake word “SUNO” (Smart User Navigation for Optical assistance). Once activated, the user can either specify Ěýan object, such as “person” or “car,” or request “all objects.” The system then provides detailed feedback, such as: “Person, 3.2 meters away, at 11 o’clock.” This feedback provides the user with precise spatial awareness. The system is currently a working prototype built on a Raspberry Pi 5, equipped with two cameras, a microphone and a speaker, but the team plans to eventually miniaturize it into a pair of smart glasses.

Shiven says his favorite part about this award-winning project is seeing the invention process come to life and building something that could potentially change lives.

“The moment when the system could successfully detect an object, calculate its distance and provide auditory feedback was immensely rewarding,” Shiven says. “It felt like a tangible step toward making a real-world impact for visually impaired individuals.”

The post Young inventors investigating solutions for the visually impaired appeared first on 91µĽş˝.

Just as we humans take our time choosing the right bed, Jaxen Knobbe, a seventh grader from Guthrie Center, Iowa, wondered about the right bed for cattle. His Lemelson Early Inventor Prize-winning project, “Which Bed is the Best? Examining Bacterial Growth and Decomposition Rate in Animal Bedding,” explores exactly that.

This project addresses a common challenge faced by many dairy farmers: the growth of bacteria in cattle bedding. These bacteria can lead to diseases such as Bovine Mastitis and Foot Rot.

Notable issues can arise when cattle are housed in bedding filled with bacteria, such as decreased milk production. Since dairy cattle spend an average of 12 hours a day on their bedding, it’s crucial that the bedding is clean and of high quality.

Jaxen approached this problem by testing different sterilization products, bedding materials, then measuring the decomposition rates. He set up buckets containing different bedding materials and a cattle urine-like substance to assess bacterial growth. Jaxen hypothesized that pine shavings and crushed chalk would produce the lowest bacterial growth and decomposition rates compared to the other bedding and sterilization additives.

The control variables were completed at the same time, same environment and same location. Data was then collected by looking at the petri dishes and counting the number of bacterial colonies grown in each bucket. Jaxen found that pine shavings, with no additives, produced the least amount of bacterial growth.

Observing the bacterial growth was Jaxen’s favorite part of this project.

“I liked being able to look at each petri dish through the microscope and see similarities and differences among all the petri dishes,” Jaxen says.

All great scientists encounter challenges in their research, and for Jaxen, the most difficult part of the project was evaluating the decomposition rate of the bedding.

“When I started the testing, I did not bake the bedding to get all the extra moisture out of it,” Jaxen says. “After the test samples were created, I realized I would have had to bake the bedding at the beginning of the test if I wanted the most accurate results.”

Jaxen says earning the Lemelson Early Inventor Prize in the Western Iowa Science and Engineering Fair has motivated him to do more research.

“This recognition means a lot to me. I am very honored to be picked for the Lemelson Early Inventor Prize,” Jaxen says. “Earning this award has inspired me to move farther into my science fair journey and work harder to achieve my goals.”

The post The importance of healthy microbes in livestock beds appeared first on 91µĽş˝.

They’ve worked closely with our Lemelson Invention Education Fellow, Laurel Bingman. Their dedicated efforts aim to inspire students to engage in research and invention education.ĚýĚý

As their Ambassador terms conclude, we appreciate all their hard work and look forward to seeing them continue to support teachers. Ěý

Rebecca BrewerĚýĚý

Rebecca Brewer is a nationally award-winning biology educator in Michigan and a coauthor of the textbook Biology Now. She has over 40 educational grants and has authored resources for Science Friday, PBS NewsHour, the National Center for Science Education, MiniOne Systems, the Curie Society and the Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Rebecca also serves as a Teacher Ambassador for the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) and the Wayfinder Society. She also serves as the Michigan Director for the National Association of Biology Teachers’ Outstanding Biology Teacher Award Program.ĚýĚý

As an Invention Education Ambassador, Rebecca co-led an invention session at our High School Research Teachers Conference, where she shared her insights as a biology teacher integrating invention into her classroom’s curriculum. She led an interactive activity for students in which students designed a device to remove a simulated blood clot. The resources she developed for educators are a curated collection of biology-based 91µĽş˝ competitions and research & invention opportunities.Ěý

Ěý

Colleen LarionoffĚýĚý

Colleen Larionoff is the Innovation Coordinator at Dwight-Englewood School. She runs the middle school independent research program, robotics program and maker space. Colleen partners with students and teachers to delve into empathy-based design thinking, maker education, entrepreneurial experiences, digital citizenship, data literacy, engineering and more. She strives to center student voice and choice, leadership and constructivist learning. Colleen was thrilled to be named a 2024-25 Invention Education Ambassador.Ěý

In her time as a Lemelson Invention Education Ambassador, Colleen co-led an invention-based session at our Middle School Research Teachers Conference. As her resource for teachers, Colleen organized and hosted Invention Exchange, a mini-conference featuring presentations from her fellow Ambassadors, quick examples of invention projects from other teachers, and an inspirational student panel. Explore the Invention Exchange recording on our channel.ĚýĚý

Ěý

Rachna NathĚý

Rachna Nath is the Founder and CEO of DRIPBL (STEAM with a Purpose, Co-Chair of the United Nations Association of the United States of America Educator Affinity Group, a Fulbright Scholar, TIME Innovative Educator, NASA Solar System Ambassador, National Geographic Educator, and a 91µĽş˝ enthusiast.Ěý

During her time as an Invention Education Ambassador, Rachna co-led a session at the Society’s High School Research Teachers Conference, where she explored the intersection of invention and innovation and shared how invention experiences have benefited her students. She also co-led a session at ISEF 2025 on the intersection of invention and research. The resource she developed for teachers is a practical guide for integrating invention opportunities into the AP Research curriculum.Ěý

As we wrap up celebrating the accomplishments of our 2024-2025 Ambassadors, we are pleased to welcome this year’s Invention Education Ambassadors (’25-’26): Milene de Farias, Amy Douglas Kendrick, Andre Pineda and Pradip Misra. We look forward to seeing all they accomplish as they support teachers in bringing invention education to life this year!Ěý

The post Society’s Lemelson Invention Education Ambassadors make their mark in 2024–2025 season appeared first on 91µĽş˝.

Laurel Bingman, the Society’s current Invention Education Fellow, coordinated the first Wyoming Invention & Research Education workshop (WIRE) after noticing that no Wyoming teachers were represented at the 2024 High Research Teachers Conference.

“This demonstrated to me that Wyoming had so much growth potential,” Laurel said. “I wanted to create an opportunity for Wyoming educators to join our research teacher community and grow in their ability to facilitate invention and research experiences with their students.”

The workshop empowered teachers to develop their invention- and research-based lesson plans. Invention education in the classroom aligns with the ’s mission to encourage students to be the next 91µĽş˝ leaders and solve local and global challenges.

They participated in several activities that can be adapted to use in their own classrooms.

Highlights included:

• Problem identification and idea generation practices through diamond-shaped models
• Brainstorming with the SCAMPER method (substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to other uses, eliminate and reverse), which acts as a starting point for thinking about how to change the way things are currently done or how it operates currently. This is a useful method to jumpstart ideas, especially for students who may not have experience with invention.
• Listening to a guest speaker, a local Indigenous educator who discussed culturally sustaining practices that could be incorporated into 91µĽş˝ teaching.
• Participating in a building challenge from the Jackson Hole Children’s Museum, demonstrating how educators can partner with local organizations to create something for their communities to inspire invention and innovation.
• Joining in an outdoor project, where teachers collected environmental data to explore how citizen science could be brought into their curricula.

Laurel says she was blown away by the passion and creativity of the educators who took part in the workshop.

“I am so excited to see their plans be put into practice and I cannot wait to hear about their progress,” Laurel says. “I think the more that we can invest in providing experiences like these to teachers, the more we will be able to build our communities and expand our reach so that all students can access these impactful invention and research experiences.”

While there are no current plans for future workshops, Laurel says ideas are in the works for a new program branching off WIRE. Laurel says it would be amazing to host another edition, expanding on the online component of the workshop, to other geographic regions, making it more widely accessible.

If you have any questions or you’re interested in receiving updates regarding invention & research resources, email Laurel Bingman, our Invention Education Ambassador, atĚýlbingman@societyforscience.orgĚýorĚýteachers@societyforscience.org

The post Innovative teaching takes root in Wyoming appeared first on 91µĽş˝.

Laurel’s connection with 91µĽş˝ began in her middle and high school years. While competing in a variety of science fairs, Laurel says one of her big dreams was becoming a finalist in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).

“As a student in a science magnet program at my high school, I was surrounded by like-minded people and knew upperclassmen who had been finalists at ISEF,” Laurel said. “I was privileged to have incredible teachers who dedicated much of their time to supporting us with science fairs.”

Laurel earned her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and Latin American Studies from Rice University in Houston, Texas.

During her undergraduate years, she gained invaluable experiences that ultimately led her to pursue a career in education. She spent spring breaks at an outdoor environmental education camp with students and studied abroad in Argentina through the School of International Training’s Social Movements and Human Rights program. ĚýThrough these experiences, Laurel always felt drawn to making a meaningful impact. She wanted her path to, in some way, contribute to creating positive changes in the world. She continued her studies at the University of Toronto and received her master’s in education in curriculum and pedagogy with a specialization in international and comparative education. At YES Prep Northbrook High School in Houston, Laurel was driven to give her students the opportunity to enter science competitions, regardless of their circumstances, knowing full well how much being a part of these programs had helped her. She decided to apply to the Society’s Advocate Program, a year-long professional development program that supports educators in increasing the number of students in 91µĽş˝ competitions. This was the first formal program Laurel participated in as a teacher. Not only did Laurel become an Advocate, but she later became a Lead Advocate, passing on what she learned in the program to other educators.

“I’m grateful to my school district for giving me the space to build up our science fair,” Laurel said. “However, it can feel a bit like you’re out in the middle of the ocean paddling a little boat all by yourself. The Society’s Advocate Program not only provided me with a map and a compass, but with a bunch of other people in similar boats paddling alongside me.”

Laurel has also received a 91µĽş˝ Research Grant and used Science News Learning in her classes. Laurel said that before receiving the 91µĽş˝ Research Grant, students were limited in the types of projects they could work on and pursue. But with the grant and expanded research equipment, students would have more avenues of research and even learn how to create project proposals and budgets. By using Science News Learning’s educator materials, Laurel’s students could dive into scientific journalism and find research topics they may want to focus their work on. “I was able to give my students a break from screens by using Science News as something my students could read in class and after tests,” Laurel said. “What I loved as well were the curricular materials that were provided, which were aligned to the articles.”

“I firmly believe that invention, education and student research are some of the best ways to center student interests and agency, encourage lifelong learning, and build a better future for everyone,” Laurel said. “Getting to be a part of bringing this to teachers and students across the nation is a dream come true for me.”

Though Laurel is currently working at the Society as a Lemelson Fellow to help improve education principles and practices, she shares that her favorite moments so far in education have been seeing how students can grow in ways they have never thought possible. “I’ve seen students develop a positive relationship with school and science that they did not have previously. I’ve witnessed students finding a place of connection and community through science fairs when they hadn’t found it anywhere else. I’ve seen students improve their self-efficacy and feelings of accomplishment.”

Laurel says she feels supporting students in science fairs gives her a renewed sense of purpose.

“Witnessing these stories of growth—that has been my favorite experience because this is why I became an educator.”

The post From student to teacher: A full circle moment for the Society’s Lemelson Invention Fellow appeared first on 91µĽş˝.

Samuel Kaspar’s interest in radiology began when his sister was diagnosed with pneumonia. In addition to discovering the dangers of pneumonia, which claims the lives of over 2 million patients worldwide each year according to the , he learned that the field of radiology faces challenges including slow image retrieval, costly on-premise hardware, technician shortages, inaccurate results and time-intensive diagnostics.

An eighth grader at John Adams Middle School in Rochester, Minnesota, Samuel was determined to learn more and contribute to new solutions. As he was already learning about Amazon Web Services (AWS) and its offerings, Samuel was eager to explore cloud technology as a means to improve the field of radiology. So he set to work on his project, developing what he would eventually call his “Machine Learning Model to Detect Pneumonia.”

Samuel’s project centered on a simple but powerful idea: what if radiology could be made more cost-effective and accessible using cloud storage and machine learning? He began developing a system that could store medical images more efficiently, while also helping to detect diseases like pneumonia faster, and improve patients’ understanding of their health using AI-powered chatbots. Samuel wanted to create a solution that could be used by healthcare providers and patients alike to streamline workflows, improve diagnostics and reduce costs.

To begin, Samuel focused on creating a cloud-based system for storing medical images, which he projected to be more affordable than traditional on-site storage. This cloud solution could also facilitate faster and more efficient retrieval of medical images, helping to address a key pain point for medical practitioners and patients, while still encrypting sensitive data to protect patient privacy.

Next, Samuel trained a machine learning model to detect conditions such as his sister’s pneumonia from chest x-rays. By using no-code tools to build the model, he was able to accelerate the development process and work toward a final product he believes will be more accessible to those without extensive coding experience.

Samuel also developed an AI-powered chat application to help patients better understand their diagnoses, giving them a clearer picture of their current health status and empowering them to make better-informed decisions. To use the application, patients simply type their questions into a computer while a generative AI program provides information about their pneumonia or, potentially in the future, other ailments they might face. In testing the chat application, he also found that his model (trained with tailored medical content) provided more accurate responses than general purpose AI models.

Creating such an ambitious and complex solution to a set of real-world challenges was not always easy, but Samuel persevered. “One of the hardest parts of this project was integrating the different services together,” said Samuel. “It took a lot of troubleshooting, learning and looking at examples along the way. But once I got the gist of how the services connected, they seemed to get along much more effortlessly.”

For his work, Samuel was awarded a Lemelson Early Inventor Prize at the Minnesota Academy of Science State Science & Engineering Fair. On receiving the award, Samuel said, “This award has given me extra motivation and hope. This also inspires me to dive deeper into cloud technologies and apply them to healthcare needs. Hopefully, this will lead to making a change in my community!”

The post Improving health outcomes with cloud computing appeared first on 91µĽş˝.