16 Under 16 in STEM: A Teen Inventor Aims to Get More Girls Into STEM Careers
When Lydia Denton isn鈥檛 busy inventing, she鈥檚 inspiring young women to chase STEM careers and pursue what they love 鈥渘o matter what others think鈥�
Today we鈥檙e continuing our showcase of America鈥檚 16 under 16 in STEM 鈥� young learners who have already made a meaningful mark in their schools and communities. In North Carolina, we鈥檙e celebrating 14-year-old Lydia Denton, a teen inventor whose personal challenges have come to inspire her creations, and set her on a mission to get more girls interested in STEM.
Lydia has life-threatening allergies and suffers from severe anxiety, which causes her hair and nails to fall out. 鈥淪o much of her life feels out of her control, but instead of letting these things overwhelm her or define her, she uses them as fuel for inventions,鈥� said her nominator and mother, Covey Denton, a K-8 STEM specialty teacher.
One example: Lydia created what she calls a 鈥淗alcyon Bracelet鈥� to help with body-focused repetitive behaviors, which plagued her during the COVID quarantine. She鈥檚 also invented a 鈥淏eat the Heat Car Seat鈥� that can tell when a child has been left in a car, and initiates a call to emergency services if the temperature in the vehicle becomes dangerously hot.
The teen also works to reduce e-waste, and co-founded Regame Inc., a nonprofit that collects, repairs and redistributes used gaming systems and tablets to keep them from piling up in landfills.
Above and beyond her creations and innovations, Denton also continues to speak to school groups and programs for girls to promote greater female interest and representation in STEM.
Watch our full interview 鈥� and celebrate our full 2022 class!
鈥斅槎咕� edited by James Fields and produced by Emmeline Zhao
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