“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” —Alan Kay, computer scientist
As a budding scientist and lover of innovation, I often find myself thinking about this quote. I’ve come to realize that invention is more than the result of a single spark. It’s the product of a mindset that fuels the creativity and courage we need to build a better future society.
Recently, I had the wonderful privilege of speaking with Madeline Stoddard, the Education Outreach Coordinator at the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, about this very topic — the “inventor’s mindset.” We discussed the importance of invention education and how we can cultivate this key mentality of innovation in our daily lives.
As a passionate mentor and Spectrum Bay News 9 A+ Teacher, Ms. Stoddard champions STEM education in Florida schools across Hillsborough County and beyond. Through her work as director of the “Rising Tide” and “IGNITE” outreach programs at the University of South Florida, she has inspired countless students to pursue invention and innovation with courage and curiosity.
I initially met Ms. Stoddard during my first time participating in the Invention Convention. Over the years, she has become an invaluable supporter in my innovation journey, where her enthusiasm and guidance have constantly driven my peers and me to think like inventors.
Our conversation began by discussing the heart of Ms. Stoddard’s work: empowering the next generation of student inventors. As Ms. Stoddard explained, such education is absolutely critical for students in the 21st century. She emphasized the soft skills that invention and innovation education foster in students: “curiosity, creativity, resilience, persistence and problem solving; all traits and skills that help students succeed.”
Reflecting on her first Invention Convention experience with her students, Ms. Stoddard recalled seeing “students at so many different levels in life solving very impactful problems,” each becoming a changemaker through the skills developed by invention education.
So how do we cultivate this mindset? How do we all become lifelong inventors and innovators?
Well, start off by examining the needs of your community — and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! “The experience of invention is something that you can do right in your backyard,” Ms. Stoddard says. “There are problems that exist in every space everywhere… you don't need a fancy lab or 3D printer, you just need a problem. If you have a creative way to solve a problem, you are an inventor.”
“I love getting students to see that inventors aren't just people from the past like Edison or Hedy Lamarr, but they're people like them, just sitting in the classroom, playing around with ideas. Invention is for everyone.”
And if something goes awry? Keep going! Failing is simply a process where learning blossoms through trial and error. Fearlessly making mistakes is the best way to grow and improve. As Ms. Stoddard puts it, “Failure is research in disguise. Perfection ruins distinction.”
Finally, stay curious about the world around you with a constant and burning wonder, and don’t limit yourself to what you would traditionally learn in a lesson or a classroom. “If you aren't thinking about the why or the what if, you'll never find out. It's so important to get your head off the screen and out of the book,” explains Ms. Stoddard. Only then can we truly observe and recognize what problems exist in our communities and devise new solutions to these issues, she says.
In the end, if there’s one thing I hope we all take away from this interview, it’s that the inventor’s mindset is something anyone can develop. Start small. Stay curious. Pay attention to the problems around you, no matter how seemingly mundane they are at first glance — because they matter. Dare to dream and boldly chase down those dreams until they become reality.
You don’t need a lab coat or a patent to make a difference. You just need an open mind to imagine a better future.
And one final word of advice from Ms. Stoddard: “Don’t wait for anyone’s permission to invent.”
After all, the best way to predict the future is to invent it.
Written by Daniel Park, ICW Youth Ambassador.
Bringing Young Innovators Together
Winning inventors and entrepreneurs are invited to compete at these prestigious, high-profile annual events.
Competitions