I’m thrilled to have Levi C. Maaia and Noah Mark to talk about the Pathways to Invention documentary. Noah Mark is the President of Maaia Mark Productions and Levi is the Director of the film. 

This 60-minute documentary explores the age-old question of whether inventors are born or made. Through up-close profiles, it highlights the impactful contributions of inventors across various disciplines, including biotech, medical diagnostics and prosthetics, sustainable agriculture, food production, software development, and materials science.

All featured inventors are recipients of the prestigious Lemelson-MIT Student Prize. In this film, Levi and Noah uncover the journeys of inventors across various fields, shedding light on the pathways to creativity, resilience, and success.

This documentary was produced by Maaia Mark Productions in association with the Lemelson-MIT Program, with funding from The Lemelson Foundation, MIT's School of Engineering, and the University of California at Berkeley.

In our conversation, Levi and Noah share the inspiration for the documentary, common traits of inventors, and how education can foster young minds. We also discuss the significant challenges inventors have overcome, the recurring theme of collaboration and mentorship, and how the inventors were chosen to showcase. 

Additionally, we explore how personal experiences shape an inventor's journey, how technology has made inventing more accessible, and the intersection of invention and social impact.

In This Episode:

[02:22] Noah and Levi were curious about people's ability to shape the world around them and the maker movement.

[03:09] They were inspired by all of the makers in Cuba who have no choice but to be innovative because of the embargo.

[04:06] The idea changed to a broader lens about inventors from coast to coast in the US. 

[05:02] All of the inventors in the film were at some point recipients of the prestigious Lemelson-MIT Student Prize.

[07:00] The goal was to demystify the term inventor. In real life, it's usually a team effort. Many attempts and failures are also involved.

[08:06] The story of invention is really a story of overcoming failures and embracing them.

[09:02] Are inventors born or made? A little bit of both. There has to be Spark. An inventor needs to be a self-starter who sees a problem and wants to solve it.

[10:01] Inventors do need a supportive environment and resources.

[12:53] Pig crushing is the number one challenge faced for pork producers. The solution was to create a wearable alarm for the mother.

[16:21] Many of the inventions are in very diverse areas and they don't have to be a tech application.

[16:53] Collaboration and mentorship. Fostering or creating a network will lead to innovation.

[18:11] We talk about partnerships and recycling plastics on a smaller scale. Noah and Mark share how they love the resilience featured in this story. 

[20:02] Nicole Black from inspiration from her own story with hearing loss. Personal experience has a profound impact on an inventor's journey.

[22:31] Two of their inventors were using machine learning at the time. 

[24:23] They were surprised by how much perseverance is required to bring something to fruition.

[29:03] You have to be open to failing and confident to learn.

[31:02] Innovation driving positive change in society. We can innovate and solve the challenges of the future.

[33:00] There is no problem that is too overwhelming to attempt to solve.

[35:55] They are also working on a series about innovators. Allowing hopeful optimistic people who want to make the world a better place a way to connect with each other.

Resources: 

Pathways to Invention

Levi C. Maaia

Levi C. Maaia LinkedIn

Noah Mark IMDB

Noah Mark on X