• A packed lunch, drink, and snack clearly marked with his or her name, unless you are notified otherwise.
• Completed participant forms, with all signature lines signed and turned in on the first day of the program.
• A broken or unusable household appliance for your child to take apart during the take-apart module. This item will not be returned to you in working condition. Pieces of the original item will be used in a hands-on group activity during the week of camp. To view a list of acceptable items click here
• Upcycled materials that will be used in the completion of camp activities throughout the week. To view a list of acceptable items click here.
• Any medications clearly labeled with your child’s name and the necessary forms.

We have an experienced group of individuals who specialize in a range of diverse subject areas. This team of education-focused professionals makes a conscientious effort to integrate 21st century learning while promoting fun hands-on activities that align with state and national education standards. Our National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees work hand in hand with our curriculum writers to infuse our programs with Inductee stories, challenges, and triumphs from the greatest minds of our nation.

Children use their creativity, imagination, and inventive thinking skills to solve problems within each environment, building on what they learned the previous day. Using upcycled materials brought from home, they could be challenged to rebuild a rocket ship, cross a river of hot lava, rescue sea creatures or assume another mission. Through hands-on fun, children get excited about science while working together as a team. Though activities will vary depending on the program selected, each one is designed to educate, entertain, and inspire.

Learn about our program and a typical day!

We will send an email notification announcing when the location is returning to all those who attended the previous year. This email is typically sent within a few days of the location signing on with us. Keep an eye out for this email, as it contains exciting information about the brand-new program! Alternatively, we also encourage you to check back on our website regularly to see if the location has returned.

Camp Invention Instructors are qualified educators in your local area. These talented individuals are selected for their abilities to excite and motivate children and their enthusiasm for creative learning.

Camp Invention maintains a program team-to-child ratio of 1:8, which grants children the opportunity to flourish in a small group environment.

Because Camp Invention combines teamwork with the need to work independently at times, your child will need the basic skills to use hand tools successfully, an age-appropriate maturity level and the willingness to participate in the imaginative, creative process. We produce a high-energy summer camp experience that at times can be noisy, active and requires an open mind. If you feel Camp Invention is a good fit for your child, find a location near you or call our Customer Relations Department at 800.968.4332 to register today!

Children are placed in groups based on their grade, with the curricula geared toward each specific grade level.

Some of the Camp Invention modules can involve outdoor fun; however, this is contingent upon the host site property and current weather conditions. At no time will children leave the program location.

All medication must be delivered in its original container and will be administered by a pre-authorized individual designated by you. No member of the Camp Invention program team is permitted to dispense medication except in the case of the administration of an EpiPen (See EpiPen® requirements). We will however, remind children when it is time to take their medication and supervise them as they take it, so long as you have authorized self-administration. Please make sure to fill out the AUTHORIZATION FOR ADMINISTRATION OF SEVERE ALLERGY OR PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS form and bring it on the first day of camp. If you are not comfortable with your child self-administering his or her medication, you or a pre-authorized individual are welcome to come to the site to dispense the medication when necessary.

Parents of participants with severe allergies requiring an EpiPen^® should call our Customer Relations Department at 800.968.4332 to acquire the necessary forms, or print the forms here and begin making arrangements for the week of camp. Epinephrine administration authorization forms must be completed by parents and the physician, and the Director must be trained by the parent in the administration of the epinephrine syringe prior to the start date of the program.

As long as there is availability, you may switch programs up to one week prior to the beginning of the originally registered program. There is no additional cost to change locations, but if the new site is priced higher than the original camp, you will be responsible for paying the difference. If you do switch to a different program location, the refund policy stands within the initial program start date. Please contact our Customer Relations Department at 800.968.4332 to find out more.

We do everything possible to ensure that each Camp Invention program takes place. If for any reason we must cancel a program, you will have the option to receive a full refund, or we can place your child in a nearby location, if it is available. If and when a program is canceled, we notify each participant as soon as possible.

Camp Invention does not provide early drop-off or late pick-up. However, some individual sites may choose to offer this at an additional cost through the local level.

Also, some locations offer an Extended Day programming option through Camp Invention. Exciting activities will be available during these additional times to help accommodate working family schedules at an additional cost of $80.  This information is provided on the Registration page or you may contact our Customer Relations Department at 800.968.4332 to inquire.

As a non-profit organization, we strive to keep costs low to better serve all communities. Some facilities require an additional fee to host our program, so costs will vary by location. Please refer to the Registration page for pricing information specific to your site. If you plan on taking advantage of one of our discounts, please keep in mind these offers cannot be combined.

Registration costs cover the set-up and materials your child will be using during camp, as well as costs to cover staffing based on enrollment. Your child will create an exciting prototype from the take-apart and upcycle items, in addition to take-home projects from each module. Finally, every child will receive a Camp Invention t-shirt.

The registration price includes a non-refundable fee of $50 for Camp Invention and Invention Project participants and a non-refundable fee of $20 for Counselor-in-Training, up to three weeks prior to the first day of the program. All cancellations after this time will result in a loss of the entire amount paid. These costs cover any additional materials that were intended for your child to use during the week and costs associated with staffing based on enrollment.

Unfortunately, we do not provide refunds for Club Invention. Please keep in mind as long as there is availability, you may switch programs up to one week prior to the beginning of the originally registered program.

As a non-profit, Camp Invention allocates the funds paid for your child’s registration far in advance for the materials and Program Team Members that are needed for your child’s camp experience. Due to this, Camp Invention is unable to pro-rate the cost of camp for the days your child will not be in attendance.

Payment is accepted in full through Discover^®, VISA^®, MasterCard^®, personal checks, travelers’ checks, and money orders. An installment payment plan is available at no additional cost if you use a credit or debit card and your registration is received at least 60 days before the start of your camp. One-third of your program cost will be charged at the time of registration, and the remaining balance will be divided into two equal payments that will be automatically charged at approximately 30 days and 60 days after the initial deposit. All three payments can only be paid by credit or debit card.

Some locations fill up faster than others, and unfortunately, we cannot hold spots without full payment. If your desired program is full, you are encouraged to consider other locations available in your area. If the only location that will work for your family is at maximum capacity, your child can be placed on a waitlist at the time of registration.

If we receive notice of a camper cancellation in a full program, a representative will call and email parents of children on the waitlist in order of registration date. Once you are contacted, you will receive a designated number of business days to call us back with your full payment before the next child on the waitlist is offered a spot.

Camp Invention, a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Our Federal Tax ID number is 34-1580038.

Contact us at campinvention@invent.org or call our Customer Relations Department at 800.968.4332, and we will be happy to help. Please note, if you have unsubscribed from our email list, you will not receive camp announcements for your area, discount code notifications, or the necessary Participant Forms you will need to bring on the first day of camp.

The Camp Invention program can be hosted at any local school, university, or community center. Each summer, the program is hosted at over 1,500 locations nationwide.

Stipends are provided for local educators to lead and direct the Camp Invention program. All background information and step-by-step instructions are provided to ensure the success of any professional educator. Due to its inquiry-based approach, Camp Invention curricula provide a unique professional development opportunity for educators.

The Camp Invention program upholds a 1:8 program team-to-child ratio. Staffing levels are based on enrollment, ranging from five to seventeen program team members.

Typically, the program runs for five days (usually Monday through Friday) for 6.5 hours each day. However, Camp Invention schedules and curricula are easily modified to accommodate four-day and half-day schedules if a five-day program is not feasible. The National Inventors Hall of Fame continues to produce new curricula each year, so multiple weeks of programming are also easily accommodated.

Through our parent-paid tuition model, there is no cost to the host school or organization. Host sites need only provide the space – five classrooms and a multipurpose room – and the National Inventors Hall of Fame home office provides everything else. Many Title I schools/districts and 21st Century Community Learning Centers use their federal funds to provide the program to their students when the parent-paid model is not an option. In addition, the National Inventors Hall of Fame partners with corporate and nonprofit foundations, through grants, to provide funding so that underserved children can participate in the Camp Invention program.

The Camp Invention program is an all-inclusive, turnkey program. The National Inventors Hall of Fame home office provides the curricula, materials, T-shirts for participants and staff, flyers, posters, banners, training, program team compensation, and step-by-step instructions to ensure ease of operation and a quality experience for all. Even the registrations and payments are handled completely by the home office.

The key is to act now — the sooner you get started, the more time you’ll have to ensure your program’s success. The first step is as easy as selecting a week and location and contacting the National Inventors Hall of Fame home office at 800.968.4332. A Regional Representative will contact you and walk you through the process — every step of the way.

The Collegiate Inventors Competition, a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, is a national competition that recognizes and rewards innovations, discoveries, and research by college and university students and their faculty advisors. The Competition encourages students who actively pursue invention. Students frequently come from science, engineering, mathematics, and technology studies but creative invention can emerge from any course of study. The Competition also recognizes the working relationship between a student and his or her advisor. The program was introduced in 1990.

The presenting sponsor of the Collegiate Inventors Competition is the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

No. The Collegiate Inventors Competition is not a traditional scholarship program and does not provide direct tuition assistance. The Competition recognizes innovations, discoveries, and research by college and university students and their faculty advisors by awarding unrestricted cash prizes.

All Finalists of the Collegiate Inventors Competition will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington D.C., as well as cash prizes.

The application consists of: general student information; an essay including a brief description or abstract of the invention; information on the faculty advisor; a letter of recommendation from the faculty advisor; a literature/patent search and summary; and any relevant supporting or supplemental materials you wish to submit (examples: charts, graphs, CDs or DVDs, slides, samples, etc.). In addition, entrants must fulfill the student status requirements. The entry must be written in English.

Students chosen as Finalists must attend the final judging session and awards presentation in Washington, D.C. in November to be eligible for awards (airfare and hotel will be paid for by the Competition). Additionally, Finalists may be asked to officially confirm their status as students.

The Collegiate Inventors Competition receives inventions of all types from all fields.

Each entry must be the original idea and work product of the student/advisor team, and must not have been (1) made available to the public as a commercial product or process or (2) patented or published more than one (1) year prior to the date of submission to the Competition.

The invention, a reduced-to-practice idea or working model, must be the work of a student or team of students and a university advisor. If it is a machine, it must be operable. If it is a chemical, it must be complete with evidence of successful application of the idea. If it is a new plant, color photographs must be included in the submission. If a new or original ornamental design for an article of manufacture is submitted, the entire design must be included in the application. In addition, the invention must be capable of being reproduced.

No.

It will depend upon the circumstances and the manner in which you shared the information about your invention. You cannot enter the Competition if your invention (1) is no longer patentable under 35 U.S.C.  §102; or (2) has been issued a patent for more than one year prior to the date of submission to the Competition.

Students must be enrolled, or have been enrolled, full-time (in any U.S. college or university) at least part of the 12-month period prior to June 5, 2017. In the case of a team with a maximum of four (4) students, at least one member of the team must meet the full-time eligibility criteria. The other team members must have been enrolled, at a minimum, on a part-time basis sometime during the 12-month period prior to June 5, 2017.

No. However, you must meet the eligibility requirement of student enrollment in a U.S. college or university.

Yes. There is no limit on the number of entries a student or team may submit in a given year; however, only one prize per student or student team will be awarded.

Yes, as long as he or she can meet the stated full-time student eligibility requirement or, if part of a team, can meet the stated full-time or part-time student eligibility requirement.

Yes.

Yes; however, you must designate an individual to serve in the capacity of an advisor for purposes of the Competition and that person must submit a letter on your behalf. Your advisor may be a counselor or faculty member who knows you and with whom you feel comfortable describing your invention/research.

A maximum of four (4) persons may comprise each team. At least one member of the team must meet full-time student eligibility criteria, and the remaining team members must meet the part-time student criteria at a minimum. Note that a team cannot be formed for the sole purpose of entering the Competition.

You must self elect whether to be considered in the “undergraduate” or “graduate” category. If, during the course of the judging process, it appears that the work is primarily that of the graduate student(s) or vice versa your application may be reassigned to the more appropriate category. If the team consists of a majority of graduate students, it will be considered in that category.

The online application for the 2017 Competition will be available in spring 2017.

No. The goal of the Collegiate Inventors Competition is to recognize, award, and encourage student innovation. We do not seek any ownership interests in your invention. We strongly encourage all students to begin the appropriate intellectual property protection process as soon as possible.

Entering the Collegiate Inventors Competition does not require you to make any “enabling” disclosures; that is, we do not ask you to give us information that would allow a person of ordinary skill to duplicate your invention. As such, we do not view your entry as a public disclosure. In addition, all individuals reviewing your entries are bound by non-disclosure agreements. The National Inventors Hall of Fame only uses the titles and very short descriptions of the inventions for publicity purposes.

No; however, keep in mind that in order to obtain patent protection in the United States, the inventor must file a patent application within one year of the date of public disclosure or commercial use of the invention. In most foreign countries a patent application must be filed prior to any publication or commercial use. For information on how to file a patent application visit www.uspto.gov.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes; however, keep in mind that in order to obtain patent protection in the United States, the inventor must file a patent application within one year of the date of the initial public disclosure or commercial use of the invention. In most foreign countries a patent application must be filed prior to any publication or commercial use. For information on how to file a patent application visit http://www.uspto.gov/.

http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/provapp.htm

If you meet all of the eligibility requirements and your work has not been patented or published for more than one year prior, then you may still enter the Competition. However, individuals should be extremely cautious when dealing with invention promotion companies. Please conduct research to make sure that the company you are working with is reputable. Both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the USPTO have online information designed to help consumers avoid invention promotion scams and improper business practices among such companies.

To view the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Information on Invention Promotion Firms, go to http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0184-invention-promotion-firms.

To view the USPTO publication “Top Ten SCAM Warning Signs” go to
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/iip/documents/scamprevent.pdf

Yes, a literature and/or patent search is an essential component for determining originality of the idea presented in your application. In addition, your search will be used by the judges, along with their own research, to help distinguish your invention from other inventions and concepts previously described.

For purposes of the Competition you can conduct your own patent search. Please see the Resources section of the website for sample patent searches and guidance on conducting a search. In addition, the Technology Transfer Office at your institution may be able to assist you in this process.

No; however, we are expecting you to make a good faith effort to identify inventions, discoveries, and articles that are similar or related to your work (prior art) and to distinguish your invention from that prior art.

A thorough search considers all prior art. That is, it considers all known information relevant to your invention, including earlier United States patents, foreign patents, and non-patent literature (e.g., newspapers, journal articles, published papers, etc.). To obtain more information on conducting a patent search, visit the USPTO at www.uspto.gov or consult your school’s Technology Transfer Office.

The USPTO has a freely searchable online database that allows the user to search U.S. patents issued from 1790 to the present. Information on how to use the database can be found at www.uspto.gov. In addition, every state has at least one Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC), a library where collections of patents and patent information can be accessed. You can find the PTRC closest to your location by visiting www.uspto.gov/go/ptdl/.

Three first round judges review each entry submitted to the Collegiate Inventors Competition. To ensure blind scoring, the judges do not meet or collaborate with each other in scoring the entries. Their collective scores and rankings along with data collected by independent researchers are used by the National Inventors Hall of Fame to determine the Finalists.

All Finalists meet individually with the final panel of judges for formal presentation of their inventions. The Undergraduate and Graduate Divisions may have different judging panels. Students also entertain questions from the panel. After all the Finalists have made their presentations, the panel deliberates and selects the winners in each division. The judges’ decision is final.

The first round judges are scientists, researchers, and other experts in the fields of mathematics, engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, materials science, computer science, medicine, pharmacology, nanotechnology, and other disciplines related to invention and technology development. The judges, all volunteers, represent government agencies, research institutions, professional associations and private industry. Entries are assigned to judges based on the particular field or category of the invention.

The final round of judges consist of Inductees to the National Inventors Hall of Fame and special guest judges, which in the past have included experts from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the National Institutes of Health, the White House Office of Science, and Technology Policy, Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie and the Kauffman Foundation among others.

• Degree of originality and inventiveness of the work presented
• Level of completeness or development of the invention
• Potential impact or benefit of the invention to society — economically, environmentally, and socially
• Level of student initiative

All judges are required to sign confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements that state they will not discuss, use, or convey any information they read in the entries with any other person(s) outside of the judging process. Applications are screened for any potential conflict of interest before they are assigned to judges. In addition, if a judge is working on a similar project or area of research, he or she is required to recuse him or herself from reviewing or judging an entry.

Alexandria, VA in November.

Finalists are notified by telephone approximately two months prior to the final judging round. Other entrants will be notified by e-mail later that month. Finalists will be featured on the Collegiate Inventors Competition website.

The winners are announced at an Awards Ceremony that takes place the day after the final judging round concludes. The top prize winners will be featured on the Collegiate Inventors Competition website.

All entries are destroyed at the conclusion of the Competition unless you request that your entry be returned.

Due to the large number of entries we receive each year, individual feedback cannot be given to all of the participants; however, Finalists may receive feedback on their presentations to the final round judges.

Send an email to collegiate@invent.org or call 800.968.4332, option 5.