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576 MACUARE ET AL. Technology and Innovation, Vol. 19, pp. 577-592, 2018 ISSN 1949-8241 • E-ISSN 1949-825X
Printed in the USA. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.21300/19.3.2018.577
Copyright © 2018 National Academy of Inventors. www.technologyandinnovation.org
innovation and entrepreneurship pedagogy efforts in of the presentations and technologies were worthy
Technology and Innovation (5,6), marked an import- of consideration, Arizona State University’s Patrick
ant step in the NAI’s mission to “educate and mentor McFarland and his team took the 2017 prize with
innovative students” (7). The day’s events started with Korwave, a wearable, easy to use device that monitors
a keynote address from Lisa Seacat DeLuca, IBM’s brain activity for seizures in patients with epilepsy. LA-STEM RESEARCH SCHOLARS PROGRAM: A MODEL FOR
most prolific female inventor. In her talk, entitled Abstracts for Korwave and all of the student entries
“What Does an Inventor Look Like?,” DeLuca shared are included in this issue as well as the follow-on BROADENING DIVERSITY IN STEM EDUCATION
that her early ideas about invention were shaped by paper by Ru Xie et al. of the University of Delaware on
school, which foregrounded figures such as Edison, Melissa B. Crawford , Zakiya S. Wilson-Kennedy , Gloria A. Thomas , Samuel D. Gilman ,
2,3
1
2
2,4
Bell, and Franklin, and by popular culture, specifi- ultra-stretchable conductive polymers for wearable and Isiah M. Warner 1,2
cally the 1989 film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Given electrics and sensors.
these exemplars, it is perhaps unsurprising that she 1 Office of Strategic Initiatives, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
never pictured herself as an inventor. However, after REFERENCES 2 Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
graduating from Carnegie Mellon, she went to work 1. Sanberg PR, Gharib M, Harker PT, Kaler EW, 3 College of Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
as a computer software engineer for IBM, where she Marchase RB, Sands TD, Arshadi N, Sarkar S. 4 Center for Academic Success, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
had previously completed an internship. It was at IBM Changing the academic culture: valuing patents
that her worldview on invention began to change. and commercialization toward tenure and career In the U.S., less than half of the students who enter into a science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate curriculum as freshmen will graduate with a STEM
Early on, the number of colleagues who had patents advancement. PNAS. 2014;111(18):6542-6547. degree. An increased need exists for innovative initiatives that promote undergraduate reten-
impressed her, and after walking around and see- 2. Genshaft J, Wickert J, Gray-Little B, Hanson tion and achievement within STEM. The Louisiana Science, Technology, Engineering, and
ing patents displayed on the office walls, invention K, Marchase R, Schiffer PE, Tanner RM. Con- Mathematics (LA-STEM) Research Scholars Program at Louisiana State University, within the
became normalized for her. Almost immediately, sideration of technology transfer in tenure and Office of Strategic Initiatives, is an excellent model for increasing persistence and achievement
DeLuca decided that she too was going to become promotion. Technol Innov. 2016;17(4):197-204. within the STEM disciplines. For more than a decade, LA-STEM has holistically provided
quality mentoring, effective learning strategies, unique undergraduate research opportunities,
an inventor and came up with her first invention—a leadership and professional development, and intensive graduate school preparation to a diverse
way to send stylized messages that announce when 3. To grant a Federal charter to the National Acad- population of STEM undergraduates. Program success has included an 89% overall graduation
st
th
code is being executed—with the help of her mentor, emy of Inventors, H.R. 976, 115 Cong., 1 Sess. rate in STEM, considerable national award and fellowship recognition, high matriculation of
Sam Adams, a Distinguished IBM Engineer. Since (2017). students into post-graduate programs, as well as a notable reduction in the achievement gap
then, DeLuca has racked up over 300 patents and 4. National Academy of Inventors, Intellectual between underrepresented and female participants in comparison to majority males.
has an equal number filed and waiting. Through her Property Owners Association. Top 100 world- Key words: STEM; Retention; Diversity; Mentoring; Persistence; Underrepresented
own work and her participation in programs such as wide universities granted U.S. utility patents
AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassadors, she has 2016. Tampa (FL): National Academy of Inven-
discovered that inventors are a diverse group, includ- tors, 2017.
ing academics, industry employees, celebrities, and 5. Technology and Innovation. Tampa (FL): INTRODUCTION and first-generation college students, all of whom
even children. Answering her own opening question, National Academy of Inventors. Vol. 19, Issue Across the nation, many institutions of higher graduate at nearly half the overall rate (4-6). These
DeLuca concluded that an inventor can look like and 1, 2017. Special topic issue: Fostering Innovation groups have historically been and continue to be
be anyone, including the students taking part in the and Entrepreneurship. learning are grappling with high attrition rates in underrepresented in STEM fields. This loss of talent
innovation showcase. 6. Technology and Innovation. Tampa (FL): science, technology, engineering, and mathematics continues at the graduate level in STEM doctoral
The NAI’s first Student Innovation Showcase National Academy of Inventors. Vol. 19, Issue (STEM) academic programs. For example, at the programs, particularly among students from the
brought together six student teams who came to undergraduate level, less than half of the students aforementioned underrepresented groups (7,8).
Boston to compete against one another and pitch 2, 2017. Special topic issue: Technology and who enter into STEM curricula at the freshmen level Notably, high attrition rates have contributed to
their technologies to an expert panel. Student teams Innovation Curricula. will complete degrees in these areas (1-3). This star- the lowering of the U.S.’s international ranking with
represented the University of Delaware, Dartmouth 7. Mission and goals of the NAI. Tampa (FL): tling statistic is even more dire for minority groups regard to the production of STEM professionals, and
College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Arizona National Academy of Inventors; c2017 [accessed (especially African Americans, Latinos, and Native many political and other leaders are questioning the
State University, the University of Massachusetts 15 Nov 2017]. http://www.academyofinventors. Americans), students from low-income backgrounds, future health of our economy. These leaders directly
Amherst, and the University of Florida. While all org/about.asp#mission. _____________________

Accepted: October 15, 2017.
Address correspondence to Isiah M. Warner, Louisiana State University, 434 Choppin Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. Tel: +1 (225) 578-2829;
Fax: +1 (225) 578-3971. E-mail: iwarner@lsu.edu

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