Connecticut Invention Convention Names New Leader; Prep Underway for 2021 Event

STEM educator Christine Lawlor-King has been named the new executive director of the Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC). Founded in 1983, CIC is the nation’s oldest and largest continuously operating invention education program for student inventors and entrepreneurs in kindergarten through grade 12.

Lawlor-King has a background in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education field. She most recently served as invention education program manager for Lemelson-MIT and is a recipient of the STEM Connector's Community Trailblazer Award. In her new role, she will work with young inventors, educators, parents, judges and sponsors to expand programming and partnerships.

“Connecticut may be small in size, but it is a powerhouse in the invention education space,” Lawlor-King said. "We cannot predict the kinds of problems our young inventors will face nor the kinds of technological tools that will exist, but fostering a spirit of ingenuity through invention education along with opportunities to develop problem-solving skills, will prepare them for our future workforce.”

CIC is an internationally recognized educational organization. Since its inception, an estimated 300,000 K-12 children have experienced CIC invention programs. Annually the CIC serves more than 17,000 students in grades K-12 across Connecticut from nearly 300 participating Connecticut schools.  Teachers use CIC curriculum to develop creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills through invention and entrepreneurship.

Traditionally, these efforts culminate each year in a final competition event where CIC recognizes students with awards and prizes for their hard work.  This year, the plans have been revised to reflect the need for a virtual event – but the involvement of students, teachers, volunteers and a cadre of supports is as strong as ever.

“When educators are excited about invention/entrepreneurship, they can inspire their students,” Lawlor-King said recently.  Of the past year, and the role of Invention Convention, she noted that “The pandemic left many invention education programs without an in-person event. We could have canceled the events, but our young inventors needed the positivity that surrounds showing off their new products to judges. With the largest Invention Convention event in the world, 600 young inventors from Connecticut were able to display their products. Some received patents, some received national attention.”

Currently, student invention applications are being judged over a period of several weeks via a virtual portal system.  A virtual "award ceremony" will take place on May 23 at 6pm, via YouTube and Facebook. Advance registration is not required.  CIC is  developing a program for the virtual event that will focus on the stories of young inventors, and it is anticipated that it will be of interest to people not only in Connecticut but all over the world, interested in a glimpse of what the future may hold.

In addition, CIC was recently selected by New Britain Consolidated School Districts to be the primary provider for their Summer Learning Engagement (SLE) program, we plans are in the works to launch a 20-video-series in association with Framework Television, as well as a number of initiatives aimed at expanding the involvement of CIC’s considerable alumni network.