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BREAKING BARRIERS: FEMALE INVENTORS 757

Instruction, which recognizes outstanding examples Ellie Fini, Sana Gaspard, and Ayanna Howard.
of inquiry-based and design-based engineering edu- The National Institute of Standards and Technology
cation modules. (NIST) has a science and technology entrepreneur-
ship program to provide researchers working at NIST
CONCLUSION support for exploring entrepreneurial careers. The
Invention is a necessary precursor to innovation, program is designed to bring technologies related
and innovation brings us the ability to solve prob- to the mission of NIST to the commercialization
lems and create advances in all fields. There are ways stage in order to benefit the public. And the National
to bring more females and other under-represented Science Foundation (NSF) has created the I-Corps
groups in to this ecosystem, and our ability to solve program to move basic research projects toward com-
world problems depends on our ability to attract more mercialization and prepare scientists and engineers
and diverse people to the worlds of innovation and to accelerate the societal and economic benefits of
problem-solving. More diverse teams develop more NSF-funded basic research projects.
diverse solutions to a wider range of problems. It is The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
disappointing to think that women hold less than promotes and protects American innovation and
25% of STEM jobs in the U.S. despite the fact that supports this objective across all geographic regions
they fill close to half of all jobs in the U.S. economy. of the country and across all demographics. The
Additionally, women have a 50% attrition rate in USPTO, through its educational outreach to “K to
STEM careers during their first twelve years on the gray” audiences, promotes and encourages the par-
job, compared to only 20% of professional women in ticipation of girls and women in STEM careers and
non-STEM fields. If we want to continue out-innovat- as inventors and innovators, and they host a wide
ing and out-performing our economic competitors variety of programs to support these efforts.
in the global economy, we cannot compete with one The USPTO, like its collaborators at the SBA,
hand tied behind our back due to the low numbers/ achieves a great deal through cooperation with
retention of women in STEM fields, particularly in other organizations, programs, and state and fed-
engineering (8), and the lack of female inventors. eral government entities. One good example of a
There are many ways to increase the numbers of long-standing collaboration is the USPTO’s joint
under-represented groups in the invention ecosys- project agreement with the National Inventors Hall
tem. The federal government, nonprofits, industry, of Fame, which works to honor those diverse inven-
and individuals are all critical players in seeking this tors who have revolutionized our world and offers
increase. While we have already mentioned the role inspiration to young inventors from preschool lev-
of the AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassador pro- els to graduate students in their Collegiate Inventors
gram, some of our program’s partners are actively Competition.
working to increase innovation, entrepreneurship, University programs, like Rice University’s OEDK
and inclusivity in invention. described in this article, encourage invention, as do
Over the last few years, the U.S. Small Business programs like VentureWell https://venturewell.org.
Administration’s Office of Investment & Innovation The Lemelson Foundation, guided by the belief that
(SBA-OII) has been ambitiously tackling issues sur- invention and innovation are essential to economic
rounding the nexus of technology, innovation, and success and vitality, provides funding to inspire and
inclusiveness. The SBA is a collaboration with the educate the next generation of inventors. People and
eleven participating Small Business Innovation organizations too numerous to name are working
Research-focused federal agencies. Some of the to increase diversity and inclusivity in invention.
AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassadors have har- Tackling global problems depends on it.
nessed the power of SBIR, including Karen Burg,