Six creative Connecticut students turn aspiring ideas into inventive innovation

Our Boehringer Ingelheim Cares (BI Cares) Foundation recognized six remarkable students with ‘best of show’ awards for the 2023 Connecticut Invention Convention. Students were awarded for their creativity, ability to incorporate medical and information technology into their invention, and for having outstanding empathy and ingenuity to come up with a solution that helps those around them.

For more than a decade, BI Cares has supported young inventors participating in the Connecticut Invention Convention with the hope of inspiring them to follow their passion and pursue a future in discovery and innovation. We have a collective mission to improve access to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in underserved communities to ensure that all students in Connecticut have the means to learn new skills and be creative.

“It’s incredible to experience the inventions that students of all ages are coming up with,” said Samuel Shukovsky, an associate director and IS lead business consultant in our IT department who judged the competition. “I cannot wait to see where their unique ideas take STEM research in the future.”

2023 Award Winners

Learn more about each of the winners and their inventions:

• Aliza, Sensory Seeker App: an all-in-one app that empowers kids with sensory processing disorder to oversee their coping strategies, like breathing exercises.
• Emily, Hammertoe Helper Shoe: a shoe with a unique sole designed to help people who have hammer toes walk with less pain.
• Erica, Cool Cloth Band Aid: a reusable bandage wrap that’s adhesive free to make it easier and less painful to remove.
• Paris, Genomic Detective: a machine learning algorithm that can detect forms of leukemia using gene expression data.
• Ryan, Pack N’ Boost: a riser mat that can be moved up and down using a crank to make it easier for people with dwarfism or mobility issues to lift a baby out of a playpen.
• Varshny, Remembering Pill Box: a digitally timed medicine dispenser for patients with Alzheimer’s to help them remember when to take their medication.

Ryan is one of the students moving on to nationals next year at the Henry Ford Museum. When we asked him what he enjoyed most about being a part of the convention and receiving this award, he said: “I learned so much about the process of making an invention and how to be ready for a change when an idea doesn’t work out. I hope to inspire others to be creative and to know that hard work pays off.”

More About the Convention

The Connecticut Invention Convention has been encouraging students since 1983 to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills to find solutions for real-life issues. The competition allows students to build on these skills and school lessons that fall under STEM (as well as invention and entrepreneurship). The program is open to all students from kindergarten to 12^th grade who live in Connecticut. 

Aligning with Sustainable Development

BI Cares’ partnership with Connecticut Invention Convention aligns with the ‘more potential’ focus area of our global Sustainable Development – For Generations (SD4G) Strategy, which reflects our commitment to providing good health for people, animals, the planet, and society.