InvenTeam grants

The Lemelson-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Program, which is funded by the Lemelson Foundation and administered by MIT's School of Engineering, created the InvenTeam initiative to provide high school students in the United States with the opportunity to cultivate their creativity and to experience invention.

InvenTeams are comprised of high school students, teachers, and mentors who invent technological solutions to real-world problems.

InvenTeam students rely on inquiry and hands-on problem solving as they apply lessons from science, technology, engineering, and math to develop invention prototypes. InvenTeam projects span many fields, from assistive devices to environmental technologies and consumer goods. Applicants are encouraged to consider the needs of the world's poorest people (those earning $2 or less per day) when considering ideas.

Up to thirty-five finalists will be selected from the initial pool of applicants to continue to the next level. The high school teachers of these teams receive Excite Awards and are invited to EurekaFest, a multi-day event celebrating invention at MIT in June. Travel, food, and lodging are provided. Up to fifteen teams will be selected from the finalists to receive grants of up to $10,000 each for the 2011-12 academic year. Grant funds may be used for research, materials, and learning experiences related to the project. Any teacher who facilitates an extracurricular project may allot up to $2,000 of an InvenTeam grant toward a teacher's stipend.

Science, math, and technology teachers at public, private, and vocational high schools are eligible to apply. An InvenTeam can be composed of a small group of students as an extracurricular activity or an entire class. The optimal size for teams is considered to be five to fifteen students. The teacher, assisted by students, is required to apply for the grant. The teacher also recruits students, monitors funds, and supports students through the process.

For the 2011-12 InvenTeams program, the early feedback deadline is March 18, 2011, while the initial application deadline is April 22, 2011.

Visit the MIT Web site for complete program guidelines and information on previous team projects. Link to Complete RFP