Recognizing Tomorrow's Leaders Today

Today's young inventors are tomorrow's technological and entrepreneurial leaders. The $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize seeks to support a community of inventors at MIT and to recognize and inspire these burgeoning inventors and innovators.

The student prize is awarded annually to an MIT senior or graduate student who has created or improved a product or process, applied a technology in a new way, redesigned a system or in other ways displayed a portfolio of inventiveness. Award winners gain invaluable exposure to the science, business and investment communities through national press around this award.

The Lemelson-MIT Program funds three additional $30,000 Lemelson Student Prizes at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and California Institute of Technology.

Past winners include Tim Lu for inventing processes that combat bacterial infections, Carl Dietrich for developing the Transition, a Personal Air Vehicle, Nate Ball for inventing as part of a team the ATLAS Powered Rope Ascender, and Amy Smith for inventing low-tech devices for addressing problems in developing countries. Find out more about past recipients in our Winners' Circle.

Selection Process | Application Guidelines | Application Sections
 

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible candidates of the $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize must:

• be a full time MIT senior or graduate student
• be individual inventors or have developed a key invention(s) within a team environment
• be a matriculated student in the spring of the year the award is given
• serve as an inspiration to young people, through their creativity, outreach or mentoring activities

Applicants can be from any major, discipline, or research concentration and will be invited and encouraged to participate in Lemelson-MIT Program activities, including outreach opportunities to inspire young people to pursue creative lives and careers. All applicants benefit from networking opportunities with each other, the MIT community, and Lemelson-MIT Award Winners.

Selection Process

MIT alumni serve as judges to select the $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize Winner. The judging committee can also name finalists who receive $1,000. The judging committee considers:

• Breadth and depth of the student's portfolio of inventiveness
• Creativity and imagination the ability to think of solutions outside the box
• Potential adoption and/or commercialization of inventions
• Ability and experience to be a role model for youth
• Supporting letters of recommendation

*An interview component may be added for the 2010 Student Prize selection process.

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Application Guidelines

First, candidates must register. Those who have previously applied must register again to create a new application. Second, after completing the candidate contact information, please upload each of the application sections, carefully adhering to the following instructions:

• Each uploaded file must be in .pdf, .doc, or .ppt format, with .pdf formatting being strongly preferred. Judges are unable to see PowerPoint slide animations or transitions, view video and movie files, or listen to audio files.
• Each uploaded file must be under 5mb is size.
• The entire application must be under 25mb in size.

As a courtesy to the many distinguished individuals who volunteer their time to help make the prize possible, we ask that you strictly observe all of the guidelines for submission. Please note that applications that do not follow the above instructions will be disqualified from consideration. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

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Application Sections

1. Description of Inventiveness
   Describe your portfolio of inventiveness while at MIT in 1000 words or less. Address the following:
   
   
   • Define the problems/needs and how your invention(s) offers solutions.
   • What makes your invention(s) novel?
   • How does your invention(s) improve upon prior technology or processes?
   • What are the potential economic, environmental and societal benefits of your invention(s)?
   • If you have worked in team environments, what was your role in developing key inventions?
   • How do you envision your invention(s) being commercialized or possess the potential for adoption?
   
   
   
2. Letters of Recommendation
   Two letters of recommendation from MIT faculty or research-scientist staff are required. Each letter should be addressed to Lemelson-MIT Student Prize Committee, limited to two pages, and address the following:
   
   
   • Describe the significance of the applicant's invention(s)/innovation(s) to the field
   • State the student's role in developing the invention(s)
   • Define the state-of-the-art status in the area of the invention(s)
   • Describe potential implications of the student's work
   
   
   
3. Resume
   
   
4. Supplementary Materials
   Other pertinent supporting materials may be provided, such as professional articles, photos, diagrams, and press clippings.
   
   
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   Information about candidates presented in the applications may be used to prepare public educational materials, if the candidate is selected as the prize recipient. If you have questions after carefully reviewing all of the instructions, please contact the Lemelson-MIT Program Awards Officer at Lemelson_Awards@mit.edu.