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NAI CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS 573

These tagged images are then compared to images Rounding out the Thursday morning session,
in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Dr. Paul Sanberg’s State of the Academy Address
Children database of known CP images, a process spotlighted the significant accomplishments that
that enabled the removal of 10,000,000 CP images the Academy had made during the year and under-
last year alone. He and his team have now turned scored how the NAI has changed and continues to
to next generation technologies for improving and lead the national conversation on innovation. In
expanding their capabilities to identify audio and terms of growth, the Academy had expanded to 212
video images and to combat other internet abuses, member institutions by April 2017, including new
such as extremist propaganda. international affiliates in China, Taiwan, and Saudi
In the sixth panel of the conference, hosted by The Arabia, among others. The number of NAI chapters
Lemelson Foundation, moderator David Coronado had grown to 38, with over 1,700 inventors having
and panelists Stephanie Couch, Aaron M. Kyle, Doug been inducted into these local chapters. The society,
Scott, and Phil Weilerstein tackled the issue of how in welcoming the class of 2016, grew to include 757
we can use invention education to promote innova- Fellows, representing 229 universities and govern-
tion and develop the next generation of inventors, mental and non-profit research institutes. Among
which all agreed is a critical task. On the high school them, this impressive group holds over 26,000 U.S.
side, there was agreement that in order to broaden patents, includes over 90 university presidents and
innovation and invention education to include more senior leaders, and 28 Nobel Laureates. In considering
the NAI’s innovation outreach and impact, Sanberg
students, especially women and underrepresented
minorities, we need to move beyond teaching sci- noted the NAI’s seminal work on the role of invention
in tenure and advancement (1,2), the congressional
ence and math and into showing how subjects are charter in process (3), and the official memorandum
related and how they can have an impact in solving of agreement with the USPTO. Moreover, the NAI
real-world problems through the invention process. has taken the lead in directing the conversation on
In this way, invention can be a gateway even for stu- innovation activity with its publications, including
dents who do not see themselves as “STEM students.” its first-ever activity report highlighting NAI Fellow
Once students get to college, the panelists felt that research activity and NAI programs, the Technology
universities have a mandate to provide innovative and Innovation journal, and the Top 100 report on
educational opportunities early on that allow stu- U.S. utility patents granted (4), which is published in
dents to do hands-on invention projects. Design conjunction with the Intellectual Property Owners
courses, makerspaces, internships, and I-Corps are Association.
all ways that universities can further the invention
education mission. In addition, universities have SESSION D: ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND
an obligation to reach out to high school students COMMERCIALIZATION DRIVE THE FUTURE
and teachers to create meaningful connections and OF INNOVATION
networks to ensure that students enter and stay in Session D focused on a broad swathe of entrepre-
the pipeline. In the cases of both high school and neurship and commercialization efforts at universities
college students, the benefits are not just for students at both the faculty and student levels. In the session’s
who become inventors, as the problem solving skills first presentation, Frances S. Ligler of North Carolina
students learn are key in almost any field a student State University focused on the licensing path, noting
pursues. By creating these on-ramps and pathways, that for many faculty members, especially women,
as well as recognizing and supporting the faculty who licensing is a viable alternative to starting your own
make these education efforts happen, we can truly company, one that allows a better work-life balance
impact the innovation student pipeline, broaden the and permits you to find the best possible partner—
pool of potential inventors, and position ourselves one with both the interest and skill to bring your
to not only maintain but even increase our national product to market. More important than the path for
innovative output. Ligler, however, is the process. Using her chip in a lab