The Lemelson-MIT Program today announced the winners of the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize, a nationwide search for the most inventive college students. The Lemelson-MIT Program awarded $90,000 in prizes to collegiate inventors. Each winning team of undergraduates received $10,000, and each graduate student winner received $15,000. The winners of this year’s competition were selected from a diverse and highly-competitive applicant pool of students from 77 colleges and universities across the country. 

“This year’s Lemelson-MIT Student Prize winners have outstanding portfolios of inventive work,” said Michael Cima, faculty director of the Lemelson-MIT Program. “Their passion for solving problems through invention is matched by their commitment to mentoring the next generation of inventors.”

The Lemelson-MIT Student Prize is a national collegiate invention prize program, supported by The Lemelson Foundation, serving as a catalyst for burgeoning young inventors.

“My husband Jerome always felt passionate about the potential of young collegiate inventors,” said Dorothy Lemelson, chair of The Lemelson Foundation. “The Lemelson-MIT Student Prize has evolved over the past 20 years to encourage and inspire students around the country to develop their ideas into viable products.” 

2016 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize Winners

The “Cure it!” Lemelson-MIT Student Prize rewards students working on technology-based inventions that can improve health care. The winners are:

The “Drive it!” Lemelson-MIT Student Prize rewards students working on technology-based inventions that can improve transportation. The winner is:

The “Eat it!” Lemelson-MIT Student Prize rewards students working on technology-based inventions that can improve food and agriculture. The winners are:

The “Use it!” Lemelson-MIT Student Prize rewards students working on technology-based inventions that can improve consumer devices. The winners are:

Lemelson-MIT Student Prize applicants were evaluated by screening committees with expertise in the invention categories as well as a national judging panel of industry leaders — who also select the annual $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize winner. Screeners and judges assessed candidates on breadth and depth of inventiveness and creativity; potential for societal benefit and economic commercial success; community and environmental systems impact; and experience as a role model for youth.

Students interested in applying for the 2017 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize can find more information on the Lemelson-MIT website.

The Lemelson-MIT Program is also seeking partners with interest in sponsoring the competition, in addition to supporting the execution and scaling into new categories.

Reprinted with permission of MIT News