USF hosts hundreds of young inventors from across the state

By: Cassidy Delamarter, University Communications and Marketing

Imagine walking into a space filled with innovative solutions to real-world problems, each one created by K-12 students. Among them is a device to address water contamination, a patented contraption to reduce litter spillage from residential garbage cans and even a redesigned umbrella that made an appearance on “Shark Tank.” This is just a glimpse into the scope and impact of Invention Convention Worldwide, a program from The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation that allows students to explore the world of innovation with forward-thinking solutions that can shape the future. 

As Florida’s official state affiliate for the prestigious program, USF Research & Innovation and the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame welcomed 147 students from across the state to present their inventions for a chance to advance to the national competition in June. Several USF faculty, staff and students served as judges and volunteers.

“The Invention Convention at USF is more than just a competition — it’s a talent pipeline for USF and beyond,” said Sylvia Wilson Thomas, vice president for Research & Innovation. “By nurturing young minds in STEM and innovation from an early age, USF is investing in students who will go on to conduct high-impact research, launch startups and drive economic growth.”

Behind 93 inventions, young students – some only in first grade – stood proudly. Among them was Mahi Patel, a Tampa seventh grader from Liberty Middle School, who dedicated her free time after school to creating AquaSonic, a microplastic filtration system that uses ultrasonic waves to separate and remove microplastics from water. 

“I was inspired by the growing problem of microplastic pollution in our oceans and drinking water,” Patel said. “While researching solutions, I found that most existing methods rely on physical filters, which can be costly and inefficient. That’s when I started exploring the potential of ultrasonic waves as an innovative alternative.” 

Patel received first place in her grade level and was honored with the Best Prototype Award. This was her second year participating in the convention; Patel's first convention was two years ago when she was still in elementary school and created LungNet, an artificial intelligence-based model for lung cancer detection. She pivoted to microplastics this year to have a hands-on engineering project instead. She plans to continue refining AquaSonic to increase its effectiveness and ensure it can be scaled for larger applications. 

Invention Convention at USF introduces students to the world of innovation and entrepreneurship. Each inventor brings their brightest idea to life from concept to prototype and eventually in some cases, commercialization. The hands-on process lays the foundation for the next generation of innovators and leaders by helping students develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking.

Each year, more than 100,000 students across the country participate in local and state-level competitions, with top finalists earning the opportunity to compete nationally and then internationally.

At the 2024 Invention Convention Nationals, about one in 10 participants were from Florida, yet they made up 17% of the total winners. Even more impressively, they took home 30% of patent and licensing-related awards, proving that their ideas aren’t just creative, but commercially viable.

Among them was Zoe Kidd, a Tampa fourth grader from Hunters Green Elementary School, who is an aspiring dolphin trainer with a passion for softball. During a softball practice, a painful bruise on her thigh from a misstep led her to invent a padded sports device to protect athletes’ legs and hands from injury during the pitching motion. 

“My teammates said, ‘That happens to me too!’ It made me think how can I fix this problem and help softball players like me and my friends from hurting themselves? That sparked the idea of what would become Pitch Protect,” Kidd said. 

She sewed the prototypes herself and started wearing them to practice. At nationals last summer, Kidd received the Licensing Potential Award presented by inventRight, which allowed her to spend the year learning about the licensing process and making improvements to Pitch Protect for future commercialization. 

Kidd said the things she learned from Invention Convention 2024 and the licensing award allowed her to apply the process to fresh ideas. She returned to the convention this year with a new invention, Sanitizing Slime. “It’s a great way to ‘play away the germs’ and I can’t wait to share it with everyone,” she said. 

Daniel Park, a junior at King High School in Tampa, made history last year after being presented America’s Best in Show Award. Park is the first Florida student to take home the award. He captivated judges and industry leaders with his pioneering invention: a sustainable and natural method to break down perchlorates, a group of harmful chemicals that leach into groundwater and soil from industrial waste and agricultural runoff.

“Perchlorates are found worldwide, even as far as Antarctica. They are also found in toxic levels on Mars, which would spell trouble for any space colonization and exploration efforts in the future,” Park said. “Due to this, we need effective, sustainable solutions to combat the perchlorate pollution crisis, such as the method developed in my research.”

Although Park did not compete again this year, he was present as a student reporter and mentor. He is continuing his research with additional testing in collaboration with biotechnology professionals and environmental scientists. His goal is to perform genetic engineering in the lab to make new bacteria with perchlorate-reducing capabilities. 

“My dream job is to do research in genetic engineering and biotechnology, continuing to explore the amazing superpowers of various organisms,” Park said. “I’ve learned from my research experience that the foundation of my successes was not simply scientific knowledge, but rather constant curiosity that drove me to pursue my interests. I hope to always cultivate this curiosity throughout my career and my life, no matter what field I end up working in!”

Patel received an invitation to advance to nationals along with nearly 80 others including Hailey Crotteau, a second grader from Pinewood Elementary School. Crotteau received the Best in Show Award for Pee Brave, a small device that can be used to block the sensor on public toilets for children who are scared of automatic flushing toilets. The invention prevents any unwanted flushes, while limiting the spread of germs and water usage.

The 2025 Nationals will be held at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, from June 4-6.