invention: the invisible hero - aaas.org talk march 2014.pdf · invention: the invisible hero ......

INVENTION: THE INVISIBLE HERO

Presented by: YOLANDA L. COMEDY, Program Director (AAAS Center for Advancing Science & Engineering Capacity; AAAS-Lemelson Invention

Ambassadors Program)

As part of the panel for Creating a Pipeline for the Next Generation of Inventors at the National

Academy of Inventors (NAI) 2014 Annual Conference (March 6, 2014; Alexandria VA)

ABSTRACT

Public Policy has played an incredible role in supporting, highlighting, and speculating on the

role of innovation and entrepreneurship on our economy, while the role of the often silent and

invisible partner, invention is the backbone, the inspiration and the conduit for innovation,

entrepreneurship and a society’s quality of life. This research highlights the role of invention in

society, why this role should be better supported and highlighted, and what invention provides

to the challenges of the 21st century. Perhaps not since Science and Invention magazine have we

remembered to celebrate and so vividly excite our nation about the world of invention—non-

fictional and fictional alike. In the back of our minds, we know that Steve Jobs needed an array

of inventions to create products and a brand; we understand that DARPA’s radical innovation

spirit depends on invention; and we see Mayan temples, pyramids and palaces, but forget about

the invention of stone tools that made it all possible.

With policy comes investment and top to bottom level thinking and rethinking. Policy is a

vehicle for solving public problems, in part through the support and use of inventions.

Understanding the need for more invention, the knowledge that invention helps to create and

the research and innovation for 21st century public problems is critical-- every aspect of our

problem solving requirements must be considered and acted upon from talent creation, to

science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) basic research to innovations to the

skill-set and inspiration from inventions and our inventors.

To learn more, visit: www.aaas.org/capacity and www.aaas.org/invention.

http://www.aaas.org/capacity

http://www.aaas.org/invention

Invention: The Invisible Hero Yolanda Comedy, AAAS

www.aaas.org/invention

NAI 2014 Annual Conference (Alexandria, VA)

Spark, passion, thinking out of the box, perseverance, ideas, creativity, empathy, caring, research, discovery, transformation, knowledge, know-how, versatility, dissatisfaction

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And the invention begins…

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I am the inventor

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I work alone and I work in teams; I becomes We. We are dissatisfied with what’s in front of us; We want to change the world; We want to make life better for others; We want to change the way you see this; we want to change the norm…again, again, and again. We want to mentor. We want to change, change, change. A common phrase/popular proverb is necessity is the mother of invention, but in reality invention is so much more. It is a constant human desire to transform our lives and the lives of those around us and to improve our quality of life. Inventors –we want to transform the world and we are a strong piece of the puzzle that solves for innovation, a better quality of life, a stronger economy.

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I am invention I require culture and talent

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A culture of invention requires… We don’t seem to understand that it can’t be done. We are empowered. We are encouraged. We receive credit and money and accolades and sometimes even fame. The attitudes of an inventive culture allowed…

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…Bill Atkinson to make windows on the computer like shuffling papers on a desk…and then say, “Because I didn’t know it couldn’t be done, I was enabled to do it.” And Alan Kay’s statement “The best way to predict the future is to invent it” is a mantra well accepted.

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Bloomberg measured innovation by seven factors, including R&D intensity, productivity, high-tech density, researcher concentration, manufacturing capability, education levels and patent activity. The top five were: US SK Germany Finland and Sweden—Insead World Business School in a similar ranking, ranks the US as #7

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Thinking about the culture it takes to be innovative…Khosla talked about the culture of start-ups recently. Some of this caught my eye as necessities also for inventors and our culture of invention. “You want missionaries…passionate, maniacally-focused founders who believe in a vision… and a need to be disruptive…” And Will.I.Am who has become an evangelist for innovation leads us to a discussion of impacting culture and talent. Allowing for new ways of looking at product development; opening new markets; and nurturing the people who can help us do that. Building the talent and allowing that talent to flourish is essential for invention.

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In this country for example we use the Bully pulpit and media and competitions to inspire talent creation, invention, and innovation.

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The title of my talk, Invention: the Invisible Hero, is based on my viewpoint that we sometimes forget to talk about the whole process that makes innovation happen and instead use innovation as a buzz word that assumes we’ll get all of the pieces right.

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I argue that these are the pieces. I thought culture and talent to be so important that I discussed them first. But here is the whole recipe… IT INCLUDES… And in this recipe Invention is sometimes invisible because it is often the innovation phase is when our lives begin to change or we begin to see a difference or have a new experience but the invention phase is part of the reason innovations exists.

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Invention cannot stand alone—innovation is important—crucial—it makes invention real—useable; shareable. But Innovation does truly require invention. SEE Michele Alexopoulos slide, the Radio for example

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The other side of invisible is that we don’t always understand who can be inventors In the book The Sorcerers and Their Apprentices, Leah Buechley believes we all have an inner engineer and inventor waiting to be freed…

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On this slide I have a vast array of inventors from so many different walks of life…impacting us in so many ways…from NASA research to sports equipment to gaming to medical devices

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One of our most famous--Elon Musk has transformed cars, electronic payment and spaceflight—it’s been posited that he may be the greatest living inventor. And it is said that “He turns science fiction into reality” But others are coming of age all of the time…as exampled by these young inventors.

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And there are so many people who are responsible for so many things we take for granted in our daily lives.

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They are people Solving a problem—solving a problem you didn’t think you could; solving a problem you didn’t know you had (iPhone); not a problem really—just a desire for to entertain… like the Supersoaker—driverless toy cars, music… Inventors are: - The power of passion—the power of vision - Inventors make breakthroughs and change the way we live and think - Inventors transform. - Inventors often look at life differently… - All see the opportunity to reframe problems to come up with radically new solutions…or to just have fun.

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As MIT’s Media Lab’s mission notes invention and innovation— empower ordinary people to do truly extraordinary things and, in the process, take control over the most important aspects of their lives—their health, their wealth, their happiness. I’d argue that there are several drivers for invention…

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Innovation—capturing the human need to solve problems, answer questions

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High quality inventions, embodied in patents, are a major driver of long-term regional economic performance in the US. In recent decades, patenting is associated with higher productivity growth, lower unemployment rates, and the creation of more publicly-traded companies.

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During the industrial revolution most patent inventors were blue-collar workers, but as technologies have become more complex, the importance of formal training in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields have increased. Consequently, metropolitan areas with a high share of STEM-educated workers develop patents at high rates. Likewise, metropolitan areas with leading university research programs in STEM fields also patent more frequently. Researchers in these programs not only train future inventors but also create companies based on their own inventions. Inventions, innovation, starting business, manufacturing products—all lead to the development of better economies.

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94% of inventions between 2000 and 2003 were from inventors with university degrees of which over 95% had degrees in STEM. These last 2 points are pretty exciting for AAAS--an organization whose mission it is to serve society and advance science.

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This chart represents what the top 10 inventions are according to Atlantic Monthly. And I would argue that --Our feelings about the importance/relevance of Inventions have a lot to do with what we value.

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The most well- known inventors—like Edison, Einstein, George Washington Carver, and AGBell make inventors seem extraordinarily unique but in reality---there are many important inventions and inventors that we should think about. What does the public think? TIME and Atlantic Monthly recently did invention issues. And it was interesting to know that: - Most people think inventiveness can be learned - 4 attributes in particular—imagination Curiosity Persistence Scientific reasoning skills - 84% of people globally say we live in an age of invention now.

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What is needed to keep inventions flowing? Talent and culture as I’ve mentioned before, can be helped by things like: - Invention Education - Reports - Attitude changes globally - A Sense of Urgency

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AAAS and the Lemelson Foundation have partnered to create the AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassadors Program.

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Why is invention needed? To solve grand challenge problems And create the culture and talent that will lead to the next breakthroughs be? Be it in battery technology; digital health; or 3D printing.

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Let’s all work to get this recipe right.

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invention: the invisible hero - aaas.org talk march 2014.pdf · invention: the invisible hero ......

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