Girl Scouts use conductive paint and LEDs to build circuits on ordinary pieces of paper

By Nicole DiGiose, content editor

There aren’t many things that are more impressive than a team of educated, confident, circuit-building Girl Scouts. In Denver earlier this month, Arrow Electronics participated in the second annual Intellectual Property (IP) Patch Program in collaboration with the Girl Scouts of Colorado and the USPTO.

Designed to increase the interest in the creation and protection of IP across disciplines, especially relating to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), Arrow demonstrated how to create a full circuit using conductive paints and LEDs to more than 20 Girl Scouts.

Of course, you can’t expect a team of Girl Scouts to just sit around and watch. The event included a one-hour hands-on exhibition with several local STEM-supporting companies, and the girls stopped by each exhibit to learn about the different businesses while experiencing the technologies that were showcased through hands-on activities.

At Arrow’s station, the girls learned about the company’s ability to help make ideas a reality. It was here where they were able to use conductive paint and LEDs to showcase the amazing things that you can do with technology, such as building a circuit on a normal piece of paper. Attendees were also briefed on how Arrow supports innovators across the industry.

The IP Patch Program was developed as a joint partnership between the Girl Scouts and the USPTO and in collaboration with the Intellectual Property Owners (IPO) Education Foundation. The program includes supporting curriculum and structured activities for girls of all ages designed to increase awareness of and interest in the creation and protection of IP across disciplines and particularly as it relates to STEM.

Learn more about the IP Patch Program.

To read more about women’s achievements in technology, check out Women in Tech: 25 Profiles in Persistence.