The Timothy Harkness Fund for Invention

What is the Tim Harkness Fund?
The Hampshire College Timothy Harkness Fund for Invention grants awards for innovative work in applied design and invention in the areas of sustainability and renewable energy. This endowed fund makes annual awards to Five College students and alumni to support their work in invention and innovation. The fund was established in memory of Hampshire College alumnus Timothy Harkness (70F), who dedicated many years to innovative work in solar energy systems, as well as to creative design of tools, kites, and furniture. This fund commemorates Tim’s remarkable creativity by providing support for student work in design and invention. In the spirit of promoting independent inventors, each student or alum awardee will have full ownership of his or her own intellectual property. Should awardees’ work someday generate financial profit, they are encouraged to consider contributing to the fund so that others can benefit from future grant awards.

What kind of projects are awarded Harkness Grants?
Grant applications are evaluated on the following criteria:

Is the project inventive or innovative?

Does the project involve sustainability or renewable energy?

Does it have a comprehensive and reasonable timeline and budget?

Does the applicant have enough relevant experience to carry out the project?

What is the overall feasibility of the project? Has adequate research been done?

What is the quality of the application? Is it well written and does it include all the appropriate information?

Examples of Past Projects
2010-2011 Harkness Recipients The EV-XI electric vehicle, prone bike design, solar charging station, solar powered steam engine, scale electric vehicle

SolarPump - Alum Beth Ferguson has developed a mobile solar charging station consisting of a traditional gasoline pump outfitted with solar panels, that can be used to charge laptops, cellphones, digital cameras and other devices. The SolarPump has been used at festivals such as Austin's South by Southwest.

Algae Photobioreactor - The photobioreactor is a device that stimulates continuous growth of algae, whose accelerated photosynthetic process and high oil content make it an ideal source for renewable biofuels. The original prototype was developed by Jon Spencer 04F and Mida McKenrick 06F, and continued development was made by Jack Lindsay.

Wind Turbine - Ben Obriecht 05F built a vertical axis electricity generation wind turbine. He used an innovative design in which the vanes form a spiraling egg shape. This shape creates less turbulence and experiences less resistance compared to traditional turbines.

Efficient Cooking Tools - Alum Daniel Rabkin 98F worked with a rural community in Guatemala to refine a stove design that would reduce firewood consumption and smoke generation, and develop a retained heat cooker and water purifier for use when cooking in the home.

Who can apply for a Harkness Grant?
Undergraduate students and alumni from Hampshire and the other Five College institutions are eligible to apply. Projects that are intended to fulfill students’ academic requirements (such as Divisional work and independent studies) as well as non-academic projects will be considered. Applicants are encouraged to have a faculty mentor involved in their projects. The fund is specifically intended to support invention and innovation in the areas of sustainability and renewable energy systems.

How do I apply for a grant?
To apply for a grant, students and alumni should submit proposals describing their work to rfinn@hampshire.edu by the deadline. Proposals must be no more than four pages, and must be attachments in PDF format and address all of the evaluation criteria listed above. '''Please use the subject line "Harkness Grant Application" when sending your application. Incomplete, improperly submitted or late applications will not be considered.''' Please direct any questions about the grant application process to Roxanne Finn at (413) 559-6210 or rfinn@hampshire.edu.

What are the deadlines?
There are no deadlines for this grant: applications are considered and funds awarded on a rolling basis.