Technology and Innovation, edited and published by the National Academy of Inventors, is a forum for presenting information encompassing the entire field of applied sciences, with a focus on transformative technology and academic innovation. Regular features of T&I include commentaries contributed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and in-depth profiles of Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors in every issue.
In this paper, research is conducted on the current state of AI education in business schools. AI competencies that business schools can offer are identified and it is charted out how business schools can incorporate these competencies in their curricula.
Using evidence gathered from over 2,000 student inventors who applied to a national prize competition, April Burrage, Janell Ciemiecki, Stephanie Couch, and Ina Ganguli offer intriguing new perspectives on the engagement of under-represented minority groups in invention and suggest future directions for further research.
Michael P. Wallner, Jeff Peterson, Will Swearingen, Michelle Zook, Cara Jorgensen, and Robin Gaster analyze the comparative economic outcomes of the U.S. Department of Defense SBIR/STTR awards and find that underserved states had superior outcomes as compared to those in high-award states, suggesting that SBIR program efforts to assist firms in low-award states are a sound investment.
Jonathan Duvall, Sivashankar Sivakanthan, Brandon Daveler, S. Andrea Sundaram, and Rory A. Cooper note that people with disabilities (PwD) represent a significant percentage of the population but continue to be under-represented in STEM. This study aims to identify PwD with patented technologies, assess the impact of these inventors, and suggest directions for future research.
Christine Nunziata, Mahya Beheshti, Ryan Branski, Steven Kuyan, Kurt Becker, and John-Ross Rizzo argue that institutions should create a collaborative culture to foster innovation. To that end, they discuss current programs, identify critical gaps, and offer potential solutions to promote a key area for transdisciplinary collaboration: engineering immersion for clinicians.
James Holly Jr. and Yolanda L. Comedy point out that the invention and innovation community both desires to improve the racial inequities that currently limit the potential and opportunities for Black inventors and often replicates the very behaviors and structures that cause these disparities to exist. They offer three concrete ways that we can begin to address these challenges in the invention community.
Cristina Saenz and Audra Skukauskaitė explore ways to include Latinas (and other diverse students) in inventing, including valuing their unique perspectives and funds of knowledge and embedding Invention Education within the school day.
In this complementary perspective, we discuss why learning AI is beneficial for motivating students and promoting creative thinking and how to develop a module-based approach that optimizes learning outcomes. We hope to excite and engage more members of the education community to join the effort to advance K-12 AI education in the United States and worldwide.
Thaddeus McEwen, Jessica Fields, Caesar R. Jackson, Jill Keith, Cira Cardaci, Nhi Tran, and John A. Blaho discuss the methodology and outcomes of using a ‘mentor-protege’ model in delivering the I-Corps curriculum in order to diversify participation in I-Corps and expand the innovation capacities of HBCUs.
Dustin Britton, Sara Thermer, James A. Perez, and Jin Kim Montclare examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Pre-Capstone Innovation Experience course at New York University. Specifically, they found a gendered impact on the learning of undergraduate students due to the pandemic and the move to online learning.
A case study of an academic inventor who has tried to defend her patent rights against a major manufacturer of ICU ventilators, Hamilton Medical. This study highlights the difficulties faced by individual academic researchers to assert their patent rights in a system that is tailored to fit big corporations and wealthy manufacturers.
Jane Muir, Megan Aanstoos, Tamsen Barrett, Almesha Campbell, Forough Ghahramani, Jennifer Gottwald, Kirsten Leute, Nichole Mercier, and Jennifer Shockro offer a set of recommendations on how best to engage women and other under-represented groups in academic innovation.
