50 Years of Innovation: Promoting Collaboration
“If you are lucky, as I have been, to work with a creative team of people, you may one day experience the thrill of discovery.”
— National Inventors Hall of Fame® Inductee Donald Keck, co-inventor of optical fiber
There is no better way to identify and solve problems, shape industries or improve lives than through collaboration. When individuals come together with their own unique sets of skills, ideas and experiences, there is no limit to the creativity and innovation that can result.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, we are reflecting on the power of teamwork to drive progress and change the world. Read on to learn what some of our Inductees have to say about the importance of collaboration and to see how our education programs promote teamwork among emerging creators, innovators and problem solvers.
Inductee Inspiration
National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees are Our Nation’s Greatest Innovators™. They understand that sharing their knowledge and skills with other innovators and teaming up to take on challenges can lead to life-changing discoveries.
Right now, as you read this blog, you’re benefiting from the collaboration of Inductees Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn, who created the architecture of the internet.
Describing their work in an interview with the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Cerf said, “This is a huge, grand collaboration, and that’s probably the thing that makes it so special, is that so many people can contribute, have contributed, and will continue to contribute to grow the scale of the system and its functionality.” Kahn added, “It was a great collaboration and I think it was far better than either of us probably could have done on our own.”
It is often true that we can accomplish far more together than we could on our own. The story behind the creation of the sports bra also demonstrates this, with each inventor — Inductees Lisa Lindahl, Hinda Miller and Polly Smith — contributing their unique skills.
“I don’t believe the Jogbra [the original sports bra] would have happened without all three of us,” Smith said. “Lisa was the idea, I was the fabrication and Hinda was the driving force behind making it happen.”
As inventor teams so often prove, diversity in skill sets, talents, backgrounds and expertise makes any collaboration more effective, and the resulting solutions stronger.
“You don't want 50 people who do the exact same thing working together, because if they're doing the exact same thing, then nobody's learning anything,” said Inductee Drew Weissman, who collaborated with fellow Inductee Katalin Karikó in developing the modified mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines. “You want people who have different training, different ideas, to work together and to introduce their ideas.”
Growing Great Collaborators
As we honor the world’s greatest innovators, we also work to cultivate an innovative mindset among tomorrow’s innovators. By collaborating with our Inductees, we develop inspiring curricula for nationwide, hands-on education programs including Camp Invention® and Invention Project®.
Each of our programs gets children involved in both independent exploration and collaborative problem solving. By giving children meaningful opportunities to work with their peers, we teach them to be good teammates, helping them to build confidence in their own ability to contribute and develop a greater appreciation for the contributions of others.
“Camp Invention created an atmosphere that [my child] was thrilled to be a part of. He was able to connect to peers and leaders who have the same passion. He was able to collaborate with a team to work toward a common goal.”
— Christine P., Camp Invention parent, Chicago, IL
“My daughter often speaks about how much she loves to share ideas, why it’s important to listen to others' ideas, and how she learned to collaborate on those ideas at Camp Invention. From this, I have seen a drastic and unexpected growth in her emotional intelligence.”
— Rachel F., Camp Invention parent, Uniontown, OH
“Working in small groups in collaboration is effective for increasing social skills, sharing ideas, listening to other's ideas and supporting each other.”
— Patrick S., Camp Invention parent, Wolfeboro, NH
“We loved Camp Invention! Working collaboratively with peers and feeling a sense of accomplishment with each project contributed to an overall interest in STEM.”
— Meagan B., Camp Invention parent, Raleigh, NC
With the help of our partners and donors, the National Inventors Hall of Fame will continue to reach children across the country with our shared goal of promoting collaboration among generations of innovators.
Share Your Story
Do you or your child have a personal story about the power of teamwork? Visit our website to share your story and learn how you could win a trip to Washington, D.C., to help us celebrate our 50th anniversary at the 2023 National Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony!