What is NSTI?
The National Summer Teacher Institute (NSTI) is a free, 3-day professional development training opportunity designed to support elementary, middle, and high school teachers and post secondary educators as they increase their knowledge of concepts of making, inventing, and intellectual property (IP) creation and protection.
NSTI is designed to help teachers and educators inspire the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. The program is open to eligible K-12 teachers and post secondary educators nationwide. It combines experiential training tools, practices, and project-based learning models.
When and where is it?
NSTI 2025 will take place July 21-23, 2025. This year’s program will occur virtually.
How much does it cost?
NSTI is free for all attendees.
What's the application deadline?
Apply by May 31, 2025.
What do participants get out of NSTI?
- Explore IP, innovation, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts: creativity, problem solving and critical thinking, and collaboration and teamwork.
- IP is modeled as both a teaching and learning platform to help inspire and motivate student achievement in STEM disciplines, computer science, and other fields of study, including innovation and entrepreneurship.
- NSTI presentation speakers that include subject matter experts on IP from the USPTO, inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs, and representatives from other federal government agencies and non-profit organizations.
- Design and build prototypes as part of a multi-day invention project.
- Learn how to engage students in authentic, real-world projects and problem-based learning across all fields of study.
- Collaborate and share best practices with educators from across the country.
- Receive free, ready-to-use, educator-tested teaching materials, lesson plans, and activities designed to enhance student learning, and inspire the next generation of inventors, entrepreneurs, and problem solvers.
Where can I get more information?
If you have questions regarding National Summer Teacher Institute, visit our NSTI FAQ webpage or contact NSTI_Applications@uspto.gov.
NSTI by the numbers
This is NSTI's eleventh year of impact in IP and invention education:
- More than 500 educators from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Okinawa, Japan
- More than 22,000 hours of IP and invention education training
- 120 teacher inventions
- Teachers equipped to spread the power of invention education and IP to hundreds of thousands of learners across the country and the world