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Found 63 Stories
Detail of Handprints on Hubble book cover, showing astronaut Kathy Sullivan looking out the window of the space shuttle.
Lemelson Center Books

Handprints on Hubble: An Astronaut's Story of Invention

In the newest book in the Lemelson Center series with MIT Press, the first American woman to walk in space recounts her experiences as part of the team that launched, rescued, repaired, and maintained the Hubble Space Telescope.

Article from The Woman Inventor, 1890, titled “Colored Woman Inventor,” with the story of Ellen Eglin who invented a clothes-wringer but was afraid that white women would not buy the wringer if they knew it had been invented by an African American woman. Eglin sold her invention to an agent for $18 in 1888 and made no further profit from it.
Blog

Who Invents and Who Gets the Credit?

The complex story of an African American woman inventor, hidden behind a simple clothes wringer.

Patricia Bath stands amongst a group of students during a Lemelson Center Innovative Lives program in 2000.
Blog

Remembering Dr. Patricia Bath

Pathbreaker, physician, educator, role model, and inventor of the Laserphaco Probe for the treatment of cataracts.

Masthead illustration for The Woman Inventor, 1890, depicting women at work in drafting, agriculture, and industry
Invention Stories

Inventive Minds: Women Inventors

The word “inventor” may conjure images of men like Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, but the history of women inventors is as long as that of their male counterparts.

A black-and-white icon of a Mac Classic computer with a smiling face on the screen.
Blog

Susan Kare, Iconic Designer

Susan Kare designed the distinctive icons, typefaces, and other graphic elements that gave the Apple Macintosh its characteristic—and widely emulated—look and feel.

Detail of a photo of Elaine Ostroff, on left, with two other women, looking at a model of a play space. The words Play Room are on the door behind Ostroff.
Blog

Creating and Shaping Learning Environments

“It can happen anywhere—a learning environment can happen anywhere.” (Elaine Ostroff, Wheaton College interview, undated)

Official portrait of NASA astronaut Ellen Ochoa in her flight suit, 12 February 2002
Blog

Highlighting Hispanic Inventors and Innovators

A few stories of often overlooked inventors and innovators in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month

Frances Gabe pointing to model of her self-cleaning house, 1979
Blog

You Don’t Have Time to Clean Your House—Now What?

Frances Gabe called cleaning a “thankless, unending job, a nerve-twangling bore.” She set out to change that.

Masthead illustration for The Woman Inventor, 1890, depicting women at work in drafting, agriculture, and industry
Blog

Counting Women Inventors

The Patent Office’s first official list of women patentees, compiled in 1888, is a crucial—but flawed—source for historians of invention.

Margaret Knight’s patent model for an improved paper bag making machine shows 2 sets of 3 gears attached by articulated arms and springs to a wooden frame and horizontal bed where the paper is moved through the bag making process.
Blog

America Participates in Innovation – 1800s

In this post, I’ll describe how the democratic features of the United States Patent System enticed a broad spectrum of the American population to become inventors in the 19th century.

"Joy" movie poster
Blog

"Joy's" Process of Inventing

Jennifer Lawrence's silver screen portrayal of inventor Joy Mangano makes the case for the invention process.

Bulb used in Edison's first public demonstration
Encouraging Innovative Thinking

Curiosity and Invention

Do you consider yourself curious?

Invention sketch of accessible snowboard
Invention Stories

Inventive Minds: Everyone Is Inventive

Throughout American history, inventors and innovators have used their imaginations to create, improve, and promote inventions and innovations that shape our everyday lives. Explore their stories in the Inventive Minds gallery.

Elizabeth Magie Phillips, inventor of "The Landlord's Game," a precursor to "Monopoly"
Invention Stories

The Woman Inventor Behind “Monopoly”

The invention process can be messy. Case in point: the invention of "Monopoly."

Close-up of Stephanie Kwolek
Invention Stories

Stephanie Kwolek: Kevlar® Inventor

The ubiquitous fiber that had an unlikely beginning.

Inventor Krysta Morlan uses her Waterbike in the pool
Invention Stories

Krysta Morlan: Waterbike Inventor

While still in high school, Krysta Morlan invented the Waterbike—a semi-submersible, fin-propelled vehicle powered by the rider’s legs.

Patti McGee and Di Dootson Rose at Innoskate 2013
Beyond Words

Podcast: Patti McGee and Di Dootson Rose, Pioneering Skateboarders

Patti McGee and Di Dootson Rose talk about their lives as women skateboarders and offer some insight on skateboarding's place in American culture.

Invention Stories

Inventing for Man's Best Friend

Inventions over the years have lengthened pet lives—and increased their quality of life with safer toys.

Cindy Whitehead speaks at Innoskate 2013
Beyond Words

Podcast: Robin Logan and Cindy Whitehead, Pioneering Skateboarders

Robin Logan and Cindy Whitehead talk about their lives as two of the first professional women skateboarders and offer some insight on skateboarding’s place in American culture.

Yvonne Brill
Invention Stories

Rocket Scientist and Inventor Yvonne Brill

I venture to guess that when most people hear “rocket scientist” either they envision a man wearing a lab coat. Meet rocket scientist and inventor Yvonne Brill.

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