More on Dean Kamen and his Island : https://archive.is/4qUSh#selection-679.0-679.256

A Scientific Company Chairman Gets Involved in FIRST

An avuncular gent then walks up smiling; Kamen introduces John Abele who was a very early partner with Kamen and the Founding Chairman of a medical technology company called Boston Scientific.

Abele, a member of the Forbes’ “World’s Richest People List” at #258 in 2006 is listed as a “self-made” fortune which it quickly occurred to me is a fundamental tenant of FIRST; making yourself.

“First of all,” Abele started off, “I’m just a foot-soldier in the FIRST effort. I’m in ‘the Dean cult’ for the passion of what FIRST is doing. Kids raising the bar rather than making your opponent lose. This is what the concept of ‘coopetition’ is all about.”

In order to put the raging success that is FIRST and its attraction to technologically-oriented businesses in perspective, there was a recent announcement: both Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google and W. James McNerney, Jr., Chairman, President, and CEO, The Boeing Company have just joined the FIRST Board of Directors.

Money from these tech and scientific companies in both the form of team sponsorship and grants to FIRST itself are what allows so many kids and schools to finance the materials, technologies and travel expenses to compete in the various events all the way to the national finals. What a coup these two Chairmen coming on-board FIRST is for Dean and his kids.

According to MIT’s former President, approximately 11% of the 2012 entering freshman class at MIT are FIRST kids ... 11%! Yes, you read that right.

One reason FIRST kids get into the best colleges is because the kids receive so much help from their teams and mentors in terms of filling out college applications and just the general, ever-present FIRST mindset that they will be going to college.

Then there are the college recruiter booths at FIRST events. It is wild. The kids aren’t so much competing to get into the best colleges, the college recruiters are literally chasing student FIRSTers down the aisles.

When the network declined to promote the program, will.i.am enlisted the help of friends like Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, Britney Spears, Simon Cowell, Justin Timberlake, Jack Black (“You know who the first rockstar was? Einstein!”), Steven Tyler, Mylie Cyrus, Bono and many others. The program “i.am FIRST—Science is Rock and Roll” can be found here.

As if this wasn’t enough for will.i.am to do, he mentioned FIRST to President Obama when he was at The White House and the President jumped at the chance to help, recording a video introduction for this superb TV program. How great is that?

After appearing with Kamen on CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight“ to promote FIRST and then, a significant mention on ABC’s “Nightline,” will.i.am has established himself as a serious, philanthropist, kid-motivator and celebrity who truly cares about others.

“Dean Kamen is my hero,” will.i.am said. “He is a star in technology and the type of person that America, and the world needs more of. Kids should be looking up to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) experts like Dean, NASA scientists and astronauts, doctors who find cures for diseases, engineers who design and build LEED certified buildings, and experts who design safer and more fuel-efficient cars, just like they admire pro athletes and musicians. FIRST is a great place for young people to meet and get to know STEM leaders and learn about careers that depend on STEM skills.”

In 1976 Kamen left Worcester Polytechnic (without graduating) and founded his own company, called AutoSyringe, to sell his medication device. The medical community embraced the AutoSyringe, and among scientists Kamen soon gained a reputation as a maverick inventor. In 1982 Kamen sold AutoSyringe to Baxter International, an international health-care company. The sale made him a multimillionaire.

After selling AutoSyringe, Kamen moved to Manchester, New Hampshire, where he launched his new company, DEKA Research & Development. DEKA is a combination of the first two letters of Kamen's first and last names: DEan KAmen. The DEKA research facility is a vast network of nineteenth-century brick buildings that sprawl along the banks of the Merrimack River. Over two hundred researchers, engineers, and machinists work there and focus both on developing products for other companies and advancing Kamen's own projects. For example, in 1993 Kamen and company invented a portable kidney dialysis machine called HomeChoice. A kidney dialysis machine is used to purify the blood of someone whose kidneys do not function properly. Usually a patient must go to the hospital on a regular basis to be treated.

https://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Ge-La/Kamen-Dean.html