Together, USF Research & Innovation and the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is launching IGNITE — Inspiring Generations of New Inventors Through Engagement—this fall. This innovation and tech program is focused on bringing invention resources to students within Tampa Bay community.
The program was inspired by inductee acceptance speeches made at the 2021 Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. One speaker was Norma Alcantar, associate dean for research and professor of chemical, biomedical and materials engineering at USF. Alcantar, among other inductees that night, called upon USF and surrounding educational centers to provide opportunities for the next generation to become entrepreneurs and inventors themselves.
The IGNITE Program
In order to fulfill this mission, the IGNITE program will include maker spaces, online curriculum and inventor mentors as part of their educational resources. Inventor mentors will work one-on-one with students to guide them through academic and career choices. The mentors will share their innovation journey and help students navigate challenges.
“Having a mentor who believes in you gives you confidence and pushes you,” Alcantar said. She shared that her own mentor–a high school chemistry teacher–led to her finding her passion and pursuing a life of innovation. “She pushed me to enter a science fair. And during the process, I ended up discovering I wanted to become a scientist.”
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The program also aims to break low-income barriers and bridge gaps for minority and women inventors. Jamie Spurrier is the assistant program director of USF Research & Innovation and program manager of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. She highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion as a core part of the IGNITE mission:
“So much research shows that minorities and female students are less likely to become inventors if they don’t see inventors who look like them. This is an opportunity to change that,” Spurrier said. “It is our greatest hope that our contributions to the Florida innovation community, as well as the national innovation community, will have a ripple effect that leads to the advancement and betterment of society.”
Working with Scoutlier
To offer the inventor opportunities and resources to students nationally, IGNITE is partnering with Scoutlier. This is a free digital learning application that makes interactive learning accessible on any device. The partnership will provide “IGNITE Challenges” to teachers and students–unique real-world applications of invention activities.
Students will have the opportunity to prototype their ideas at a maker space. This will be provided by the Foundation for Community Driven Innovation. This is a nonprofit in Tampa that is home to the Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics Center Fab Lab. The lab gives students access to resources not typically provided by schools or freely accessible. This includes things like power and hand tools, 3D printing, prototyping, robotics and entrepreneurial support.
Students, teachers or professionals interested in becoming an inventor mentor can submit to the IGNITE Interest Form.