MIT Actively Encouraging America’s Youth in STEM

Test & Measurement World (Lui) - MIT is actively encouraging America’s youth in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams are challenging youth ages 12 through 17 across the United States. Providing problems and projects, InvenTeams are a positive way to encourage teens to pursue a career in engineering, science, and invention.

InvenTeams are teams of high school students, teachers, and mentors that invent technological solutions to real-world problems. This year, projects like a physical therapy chair designed to reduce muscular atrophy, and a temperature-sensitive color-changing roof to combat global warming, among other projects, challenged STEM students in researching and creatively applying what they’ve learned in class to develop projects and solutions to world-wide issues.

According to this year’s Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, an annual survey that gauges Americans’ perceptions about invention and innovation, teens are enthusiastic about these subjects, with 77% interested in pursuing a STEM career. This survey also provides information about teens responses that introduce effective ways to engage youth, such as wanting to learn hands-on applications to concepts and ideas that are studied in class.