Building the I Can Invent Mindset Through Real-World Lessons From Inventors

How to Inspire Your Students Through the Stories of Revolutionary Hall of Fame Inductees

At the National Inventors Hall of Fame^®, we believe that the best way to prepare students for the future is to help them cultivate the mindset of inventors. Because of this, the development of all our education programs is informed by what we call the I Can Invent^® Mindset, a collection of nine skills and attributes proven to inspire and promote creativity.

This white paper explores three components of the I Can Invent Mindset using three National Inventors Hall of Fame stories representative of each.

Highlights include:

• How Hall of Fame Inductee Steve Sasson’s belief in his invention, the digital camera, in the face of serious doubt from his own company, exemplifies the confidence of an entrepreneur
   
• The story of Hall of Fame Inductee Beatrice Hicks and the confidence she demonstrated in not allowing gender discrimination to prevent her from making significant contributions to the field of engineering
   
• Why Hall of Fame Inductee Marian Croak credits the encouragement and support of a key figure in her professional life for her drive to continue innovating what would become a revolutionary mode of communication