“I’m a bit old-fashioned,” says Ana-Lois Davis, laughing while describing the ways she protects her intellectual property (IP).
The Connecticut 11th-grader’s signature hair bow, bright smile and curiosity reflect that her true youthful spirit is anything but old-fashioned – though the student does have drive and wisdom beyond her years.
Davis is a serial inventor, having competed multiple times in the Connecticut Invention Convention and Invention Convention U.S. Nationals. Becoming an inventor at such a young age has helped Davis become a confident and conscientious engineer-in-the-making who strives to come up with creative solutions to life’s problems while learning from the STEM leaders who came before her.
"Anyone who is driven by solving problems is an inventor"
Most people say that “it all starts with an idea,” but for Davis inventing and creating intellectual property starts with a problem. “Anyone who is driven by solving problems is an inventor,” she says.
Finding a solution to an issue in her personal life or in her community is a primary motivator for Davis, and one that helps her to come up with original ideas.
While problem-solving, Davis strives to be respectful of previous inventors who have already created solutions or current inventors who are working on solutions today. Focusing on solving a problem helps her avoid intellectual property infringements. An invention that already exists provides only one solution to a problem, but through finding a better, alternative solution, she creates an original idea.
"...it’s a vital first-step in IP ownership to write that idea down and to document the date."
Now, here’s where Davis’ “old-fashioned” practices become incredibly important. “I will get a blank sheet of paper and I’ll draw or write everything out,” explains Davis. “Every time that I note something on a piece of paper, before I walk away, I always write the date at the top and sign my name.”
By signing and dating their notes, an inventor is establishing evidentiary support that their intellectual property is truly theirs. While anyone can have a passing thought about a potential invention, it’s a vital first-step in IP ownership to write that idea down and to document the date.
Davis takes note of everything in her invention process: her own thoughts and ideas, previously-created solutions, inspirations and even setbacks.
Documentation is not only helpful for intellectual property, but for remembering all steps you’ve been through as an inventor. “It’s worth it in the end, because if you stay organized with it, you’ll have tangible evidence of the lifespan of your project.”
For Davis, the invention-making process and the documentation habits that she utilizes has been a wonderful way for her to learn about and become invested in intellectual property. She emphatically recommends that hands-on experience as an easy and accessible way for teachers to introduce intellectual property to their students.
“At first, I would think, ugh, I have to sign all these papers and date everything and keep it in a nicely filed catalog,” Davis recalls, “But now I find it oddly satisfying, because at the end of the year, I can look back and see all the progress I’ve made and all the changes that my idea has gone through. It’s really fulfilling.”
Discussion questions
- What makes someone an inventor?
- Why is it important to keep a record of your ideas?
- What would your invention journal look like? Sketch out an example!
To read the full-length piece via the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation, click here.
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