The
National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation (
NIHF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recognizing, honoring and encouraging invention and creativity through the administration of its programs. The Hall of Fame honors the men and women responsible for the great technological advances that make human, social and economic progress possible. there were 405 inductees. New inductee announcements are made in mid February.
Founded in 1973 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Council of Intellectual Property Law Associations, the Hall is headquartered in
Akron, OhioAkron is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. In 2008, its population was estimated to be 207,510. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland to the north and Canton to the south, approximately 60 miles west of...
with satellite offices in the
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
area and in
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
. Originally housed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Hall outgrew its location and moved to Akron. The Hall of Fame building in Akron, which also housed hands-on interactive exhibits, opened to the public in 1995. The Hall is currently closed for construction of the National Inventors Hall of Fame School Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Learning.
During the annual induction ceremony, a new class of inventors is recognized. Inventors must hold a U.S. patent to be considered, and the invention must have contributed to the welfare of mankind and have promoted the progress of science and the useful arts. A National Selection Committee and Blue Ribbon Panel select inductees.
The Hall takes part in physical activities that embody the inventive spirit. The Hall promotes future generations of inventors through major initiatives such as the Camp Invention and Club Invention programs and the Collegiate Inventors Competition. In addition, the Hall is involved with ventures such as developing and designing exhibits for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Museum, as well as special projects with national partners.
Location
The National Inventors Hall of Fame was initially located in Washington D.C. near the Ronald Regan Airport. In 1986, a committee was formed to find a more prominent location. In 1987, Akron, Ohio patent attorney, Edwin (Ned) Oldham, a newly appointed representative to the National Council of Patent Law Associations, while at a site-selection meeting, learned that the
Franklin InstituteThe Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest and premier centers of science education and development in the United States. The Institute itself comprises three centers — The Science Center, The Franklin Center, and The Center for Innovation in Science...
in Philadelphia was the frontrunner for the new location of the NIHF, prompting Oldham to wonder if Akron might have a chance. Through Oldham's efforts, the NIHF new location came to be Akron, construction on the facility was completed in 1995.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Museum
The National Inventors Hall of Fame operates the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Museum at the headquarters of the
United States Patent and Trademark OfficeThe United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is currently based in Alexandria,...
in
Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 128,283. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately 6 miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as...
. The museum features exhibits about all the honorees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, including digital portraits. Other exhibits include artifacts and documents from the collections of the Patent and Trademark Office.
See also
- List of African-American inventors and scientists
- NASA spinoff
A NASA spin-off is a technology that has been commercialized through NASA funding, research, licensing, facilities, or assistance. NASA also publishes an annual journal titled Spinoff which features products whose development can be linked to NASA, for example through NASA funding , licensing ,...
- Science and technology in the United States
The United States came into being around the Age of Enlightenment , a period in which writers and thinkers rejected the superstitions of the past. Instead, they emphasized the powers of reason and unbiased inquiry, especially inquiry into the workings of the natural world...
- Technological and industrial history of the United States
- Timeline of United States inventions
- Timeline of United States discoveries
1823 Discovery of Silicon Si* Silicon is an elemant found on the phosphorus of the periodic table. John J. Berzelius discoverd it in 1823. It's atomic number is 14 and it's atomic mass is 28. Silicon is usually fornd in the earth's crust, the sun, and the stars. Silicon is found in solids...
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is currently based in Alexandria,...
- Yankee ingenuity
Yankee ingenuity is an American English reference to the self-reliance of early colonial settlers of New England, United States. It describes an attitude of make-do with materials on hand. It is inventive improvisation, adaptation and overcoming of dire straits when faced with a dearth of...
External links