Undergraduate Winner
Greg Schroll (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Spherical Vehicle with Flywheel Momentum Storage for High Torque Capabilities

Graduate Winner
Paul Podsiadlo (University of Michigan)
Ultra-strong and Stiff, Optically Transparent Plastic Nanocomposites

Grand Prize Winner
Timothy Lu (Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Bacterial Biofilms with Engineered Bacteriophage and Synthetic Gene Sensors

I’m usually really annoyed and disappointed when I don’t win, but this time I was actually happy for the winners.  All the finalist projects were truly amazing.

Overall, I was extremely impressed at how well organized the entire event was.  Everything was on time (!), everyone on our team had their own room, limo drivers, very nice wining and dining… really enjoyable and unexpectedly lavish in all ways.  The ceremonies were hosted at Kauffman Foundation, their facilities are  really nice — all Aeron chairs, sound-proof paneling, etc.  It was amazing meeting members of the National Inventor Hall of Fame and Neal Conan of NPR’s Talk of the Nation.  I am feeling inspired.