About the Western New York Invention Convention
Inspiring Young Minds
Our beginning.
The Invention Convention was founded in Buffalo, NY in 1979 by Marion Canedo, a second grade teacher in the Buffalo Public School system, and has remained a consistent resource, leveraging longstanding community ties to empower and inspire children, families, educators, and supporters. More than a one-time experience, our educational process helps to change mindsets and inspire the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs.
The WNYIC supports a multiplicity of visions, empowering diversity and striving to provide opportunities for all WNY students, including at-risk and underrepresented communities.
To date, participation in the the WNYIC has been:
59%
Females
33%
Students from at-risk schools
Support the WNY Invention Convention
The WNYIC is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Foundation. The generous support of individuals and community businesses and organizations has allowed us to keep participation free for schools and students.
WNY Invention Convention
Board Members 2024 - 2025
Executive Board
Dr. Philip Schneider: Board President
Merry Constantino: Founder, Past President
Nicholas Stahlnecker: Recent Past President
Michael Scalise: Vice President
Bryan Somerville: Recording Secretary
Dave Schneggenburger: Treasurer
Advisory Board
Emily Brooks
Dan Buckmaster
Lauren Edbauer
John Kappel
Matt Poeller
Diane Ward: Director of Educational Outreach
Founded in Buffalo, NY in 1979
The WNYIC boasts a timeline of achievements, including its founding in 1979, the formation of the WNY Invention Convention Foundation in 2003, and national recognition in 2017. Additionally, participants in the program have filed multiple patent applications, started multiple small businesses, and assumed leadership roles in STEM fields within major corporations.
WNY Invention Convention
Timeline
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Held in Buffalo, NY by founder, Marion Canedo, a second-grade teacher in the Buffalo Public School system.
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Niagara Frontier Intellectual Property Law Association (NFIPLA) created a 501(c)3 Foundation and an Advisory Board run by patent attorney Robert Simpson, to support and run the new WNY Invention Convention.
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STEMIE, an organization founded to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) and Innovation and Entrepreneurship is created by members of the Connecticut and Ohio Invention Conventions.
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The Henry Ford Museum of Invention sponsors the National Invention Convention.
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WNY Invention Convention
Innovation Partnerships with US Patent and Trademark Office
Teacher and Invention Convention founder, Marion Canedo sought assistance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to obtain information on the patent process and models to provide her students with an alternative to the typical science fair projects. Intrigued with the idea of engaging school-aged children in the innovation process, the USPTO attended the first Campus North school-wide invention program.
As a result, Canedo was asked to collaborate with the USPTO on multiple projects, and resulted in the creation of several programs and curriculums aimed at fostering inventive thinking and innovation in students across the United States. These projects include:
Invent America: A national program designed to engage school-aged children in the innovation process.
Project XL: A USPTO initiative focused on inventive thinking and innovation in education.
USPTO Teacher's Curriculum Guide: A resource for teachers at all grade levels to incorporate inventive thinking into their classrooms.
Camp Invention: A program and center located in Ohio that is still active nationally today.
Invention Studio: A teacher's guide for the Discovery Channel.
Contributions to the Weekly Reader book "Be An Inventor" by Barbara Taylor.
The Inventive Thinking Curriculum Project – An Outreach Program of the United States Patent and Trademark Office: A curriculum guide authored by Canedo.
Brian, 8th grade student
