Collegiate Winners

I’m a big fan of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and its Collegiate Inventors Competition. They recently announced this year’s winners, who included Timothy Lu, whom we’ve featured in the magazine.

Lu pocketed the competition’s $25,000 grand prize.

Lu, 27, created a sustainable source of antimicrobial therapies – a better way of fighting germs. The tools Lu developed may see broad use such as attacking superbugs, treating diseases like cystic fibrosis, and preventing food contamination.

Graduate winner: Paul Podsiadlo, 30, of the University of Michigan for his Ultra Strong and Stiff, Optically Transparent Plastic Nanocomposite. His invention could be used for body armor to biomedical coatings. He won $15,000.

Undergraduate winner, Greg Schroll, 22, of MIT, for his spherical robot. Potential uses include surveillance, reconnaissance and disaster zone assessment.

Visit www.invent.org/collegiate