The Patents Office has launched the Junior Inventor Awards 2011. The awards, which are now in their fourth year, seek to encourage primary school children to demonstrate their creativity and inventiveness, and hopefully sow the seeds of interest in the sciences and engineering at an early age.
Entries can include any idea for an invention that solves an everyday problem, for example the GPS system in cars or the dishwasher, ideas that makes life better or easier.
The competition was originally launched by the Patents Office to mark its contribution to World Intellectual Property Day, which falls on April 26 every year.
This year’s competition is divided into two class categories with one overall winner who will be presented with the Junior Inventor Award 2011. The categories are first class to third class and fourth class to sixth class.
Prizes will be awarded in each category and the first placed winners in each category will also receive a prize for their schools.
The closing date for entries is Friday April 15 2011 at 5pm and the address to send entries is Junior Inventor 2011, Patents Office, Government Buildings, Hebron Road, Kilkenny. The winners will be announced at a presentation ceremony in Kilkenny on Monday May 16 2011.
All primary schools should receive notification of the competition in the post and details are also available on the Patents Office website at www.patentsoffice.ie
