About theLemelson-MIT Rensselaer Student Prize

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Recognizing Tomorrow's Leaders Today

Today's young inventors are tomorrow's technological and entrepreneurial leaders. The $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Student Prize seeks to recognize and inspire these burgeoning inventors and innovators.

The $30,000 Student Prize is awarded to a Rensselaer senior or graduate student who has created or improved a product or process, applied a technology in a new way, redesigned a system or in other ways demonstrated remarkable inventiveness. Award winners gain invaluable exposure to the science, business and investment communities through national press around this award.

Eligibility Requirements

All Rensselaer seniors and graduate students are eligible to compete for this award regardless of major.

Eligible candidates of the $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Student Prize must:

  • be a full time Rensselaer senior or graduate student
  • be individual inventors or have developed a key invention(s) within a team environment
  • be a matriculated student in the spring of the year the award is given
  • serve as an inspiration to young people, through their creativity, outreach or mentoring activities

Applicants can be from any major, discipline, or research concentration and will be invited and encouraged to participate in Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Program activities, including outreach opportunities to inspire young people to pursue creative lives and careers.  All applicants benefit from networking opportunities with each other, the Rensselaer community, and Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Award Winners.

Only individuals can apply—sorry, no team applications

Judging

Your application will be reviewed by a distinguished panel of Rensselaer alumni including scientists, technologists, engineers and entrepreneurs who select the winner. More about judging

FAQ

1. Who established the Lemelson Program?
Jerome H. Lemelson (1923-1997), and his wife, Dorothy, established the Lemelson-MIT Program to recognize and reward outstanding inventors and innovators in the hope of encouraging more young people to pursue careers in science, engineering, technology, and entrepreneurship. The Lemelson-MIT Program also funds the $30,000 Lemelson-Illinois Student Prize and the $30,000 Lemelson-Rennselaer Student Prize, which are administered by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, respectively.

2. Who funds the program?
The Lemelson Foundation funds the program, which is administered by MIT.

3. Who can apply for the awards?
All Rensselaer seniors and graduate students can apply for the $30,000Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Student Prize. The Student Prize is not an engineering prize; students from across the Institute are eligible.

4. How can one apply for the $30,000 Lemelson-Rensselaer Program Student Prize?
Applications for the Student Prize are available through the Lemelson-Rensselaer Program Web site, http://www.eng.rpi.edu/lemelson/apply.cfm.

5. May candidates be re-nominated in subsequent years?
Yes, candidates may be re-nominated in subsequent years, if they have not previously won that award.

6. How are the Lemelson-Rensselaer Award winners chosen?
A judging panel comprised of Rensselaer alumni, including scientists, technologists, engineers, and entrepreneurs, chooses the $30,000Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Student Prize recipient.

7. Does the Lemelson family participate in the selection of the winners?
No, the Lemelson family is the benefactor of the program and does not participate in the selection processes.

8. How will the Lemelson-Rensselaer Award winner be notified?
After final deliberations are made, the winner of the $30,000Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Student Prize is notified by telephone from the Lemelson-Rensselaer Program director.

9. When are the Lemelson-Rensselaer Award winners notified?
The Lemelson-Rensselaer Program director notifies the winner of the $30,000Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Student Prize in January of the awarding year.

10. When will the Lemelson-Rensselar Award winner be announced?
The winner of the $30,000Lemelson-MIT Rensselaer Student Prize is announced during a campus ceremony and press conference in February of the awarding year.

11. Are there requirements about how Lemelson-Rensselaer Award monies must be spent?
There are no requirements as to how Lemelson-Rensselaer Award winner must allocate their award monies. The awards are intended to recognize inventors, sustain inventive communities, and inspire youth to invent. The winner will be invited and encouraged to participate in Lemelson-Rensselaer and Lemelson-MIT Program activities, including youth outreach opportunities to inspire young people to pursue creative lives and careers.