2023 InVenture Prize x IronCAD Design Award: Inspiring STEM Learning Through Invention and Entrepreneurship
Mar 24, 2023 |
The global economy is moving from the Information Age into a new Innovation Age, which will demand a workforce trained not just in the “three Rs” but with skills in problem-solving to create new ideas, new technology, and new creative content. To address this need, the Georgia Institute of Technology created the K-12 InVenture Prize to develop the next generation of engineers and entrepreneurs by making invention education accessible to all students and teachers in Georgia.
What Is K-12 InVenture Prize?
InVenture is an invention experience and competition for K-12 students that challenges students to identify real-world problems and design novel solutions through careful analysis, creativity, and the scientific method. The students participating in the K-12 InVenture Prize are bright and motivated, supported by dedicated teachers and parents.
As a proud sponsor and presenter of the K-12 InVenture Prize for over five years, IronCAD provides software, teacher training, and support to the classes participating in the InVenture Prize. Each year, IronCAD team members were fortunate enough to sit amongst the judging committee, reviewing and rating the innovative array of imaginative projects and offering encouraging advice to participants.
And The Winners Are…
This year, IronCAD had the honor of once again presenting the IronCAD Mechanical Design Award, and for the first time, there was a tie for IronCAD’s top prize!
Team #1 | Photocatalytic Aerosol Can and Catalytic Converter
With this innovative catalytic converter and aerosol spray can, carbon and CFC emission can be greatly reduced using photocatalysis to convert harmful chlorofluorocarbons and CO2 pollutants into more environmentally safe products. This will help cut down overall harmful effects and reduce global warming and ozone depletion.
- Students | Max Habeger, Maleeq Ellsberry, Aly Kajani
- Teacher | Austin Russell
- The New School Atlanta | Fulton County
Team #2 | Rollo:
Their product is a game named “Rollo,” a gamified app that you pay one U.S. dollar to unlock one of four worlds. Three-fourths of the money made by the app will go to the country’s education, and they are currently funding four countries.
- Students | Alexia Waters, Escher Friedman, Rohan Manginelli
- Teacher | Lisa Rogers
- Smyrna Elementary School | Cobb County
Due to both teams’ impressive inventions that were created using IronCAD, the IronCAD judging panel honored both teams with the 2023 IronCAD Mechanical Design Award.
“I love this event and finding teams that have a passion for thinking out of the box, and every year I’ll find a team that uses design tools differently, and I just love that spark of innovation.” Stated Cameron Schriner, Software Engineer and Education Program Coordinator at IronCAD, when determining this year’s IronCAD Mechanical Design Award winner. “I was so impressed with the Photocatalytic Aerosol Can team for not only the intricate lattice detail in their filter but also for their innovative design allowing their filter to attach to a wide variety of cans right off the shelf! Team Rollo’s design may have been simple, but when you learn they are in elementary school, you can’t help but be so impressed. This team’s learning a professional design software to design a game around their character was inspiring.”
IronCAD is committed to encouraging and providing support for students to help inspire them to learn through invention and entrepreneurship. By partnering with educational institutions, IronCAD has directly brought the power of its intuitive 3D CAD software into the classroom. The simplest CAD for students who want to explore engineering fundamentals, IronCAD features unparalleled ease of use that makes it extraordinarily easy to teach and learn. To learn more about IronCAD’s Educational Program, click the link below.
Learn more about IronCAD’s Educational Program today!
To learn more about InVenture news, summer accelerator programs, and how to register to compete for next year’s InVenture Prize, visit https://k12inventure.gatech.edu/ right now.