8th Grade Inventor Research 2014

In the 1940s, a Belgian chemist mixed carbolic acid and formaldehyde to create the first synthetic adhesive. Post-it Notes use a more recent innovation: Unlike the typical, featureless adhesive surface, the Post-it Note glue coats the notes with bumpy microspheres that limit the sticky area. The adhesive mostly consists of alkyl acrylate, a volatile liquid that dissolves slightly in water and completely in alcohol. More detailed ingredients remain private. The paper used to make Post-it Notes is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, a system founded by the U.S. paper industry. Although SFI certification ensures that a company has an environmental management system in place, most environmental groups prefer the international non-profit Forest Stewardship Council's more stringent performance-based environmental and social indicators.

Martin Cooper is a pioneer in the wireless communications industry, an inventor, entrepreneur and executive. He has had been a contributor to the technology of personal wireless communications for over 50 years He conceived the first portable cellular phone in 1973 and is cited in the Guinness Book of World Records for making the first cellular telephone call.

Cooper was a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy, a division manager and head of R&D for Motorola during a  29 year tenure. As an entrepreneur he has started a number of businesses including co-founding GreatCall, Inc., maker of the Jitterbug phone and service and ArrayComm, the world leader in smart antenna technology.

Prize: DraperYear: 2013Citation: Pioneering contributions to the world’s first cellular telephone networks, systems, and standards.