Please complete the online Nomination Registration and read the detailed information on the Nomination Components provided below.
After the registration form has been completed and submitted online, please complete the Nomination Form (pdf) and all other required documents.
In addition to the Nomination Form, please include the following documents:
Curriculum Vitae or Resume
Patent Documentation
Recommendations
Optional Material
Once compiled, please mail a hard copy of the complete nomination (unbound, single-sided) to the Lemelson-MIT Program. Mailing instructions may be found by visiting the Mailing Nominations page.
Nomination Components
Nominator Disclosure Form
The nominator disclosure form helps to validate the nominator’s knowledge of the nominee, create greater transparency for review, and ensure greater uniformity in the interpretation of nominee and nominator relationships on the part of Lemelson-MIT Prize reviewers. The form should be printed, completed, and included with the nomination dossier packet.
Nomination Form
Inventor Profile Summary
Explain why the candidate should be recognized and rewarded. Summarize the candidate's major technologically inventive accomplishments and why he/she is being nominated for the prize. (Please refer to the Definition of Technological Invention).
Biography
Explain what distinguishes the candidate. Provide a narrative description that highlights the candidate’s major accomplishments, including important experiences, awards, recognitions, publications, copyrights, trademarks, and invited lectures and conferences.
Description of Technological Inventiveness
Expand upon the nominee’s major technological invention(s): Explain what they are, and why they are significant. Describe how the candidate's inventive accomplishments have had or could have a beneficial impact upon society. Describe how the prize could potentially enhance the candidate's inventive work. (Please refer to Definition of Technological Invention).
Statement of Commercialization/Potential or Realized Adoption of Inventions
Please describe how the nominee's inventions have been commercialized for broader use or have the potential to be adopted for wider dissemination.
Youth Outreach Interest and Experience
Describe ways the candidate has participated or shown an interest in youth outreach. Explain why the candidate might be an exemplary role model for young people. If the candidate is an academic, please describe outreach activities that reach beyond the typical responsibilities of a faculty member (e.g., student advising).
Curriculum Vitae or Resume
Please limit the length to five pages and summarize when necessary.
Patent Documentation
Submit a minimum of two and maximum of five full patent abstracts. The candidate must be the primary inventor of at least two. Each of the two to five patent abstracts must include the patent number, title and authors (list authors in the order in which they appear on the patent documentation). A supplemental list composed of only patent numbers, titles and authors (listed in the order in which they appear on the patent document) may be submitted if the candidate has more than five patents. This list should not include abstracts and is limited to three pages.
Recommendations
Three letters of recommendation are required, of which one must be submitted by the nominator. The recommendation should address but need not be limited to the candidate’s strengths as an inventor and as an inventor role model; an assessment of the value of the inventor’s contributions to his/her field; and a specific description of differentiating characteristics that help to set the candidate apart from other inventors in his/her field.
Recommenders should describe their affiliation with the candidate and specifically disclose any material relationships to the candidate (e.g., co-investor, current business partner, former business partner, etc.).
The letters should also be on official letterhead or otherwise state the recommender’s full name, title, employer, department, address, email address, telephone and fax number. Each letter should not exceed two pages.
In addition to the letters of recommendation, please provide the names and contact information for at least one and up to three current mentees of the candidate. Mentees may be undergraduate or graduate student advisees if the candidate is in academia, youth (under age 25) in the community if the candidate is involved with volunteer or community service, or interns at a company at which the candidate plays an active role, or any combination thereof. Mentees may be contacted for confidential input.
Optional Materials
Other pertinent materials to support the candidate's achievements may be provided, such as professional articles and press clippings. Please limit the length of optional materials submitted to 10 pages. A link to a video of a recent public presentation by the candidate about his/her work is highly recommended.
Learn more about previous Lemelson-MIT Prize recipients in our Winners' Circle. Please note that different eligibility criteria were applied to the Prize from 1995 to 2006.
