From a resealable cereal box to mentoring students: How one Utah Tech professor gives back

ST. GEORGE — When Wayne Provost was feeding his kids cereal in the 1970s, it sparked an idea that would go on to improve the lives of millions.

"My kids loved Cheerios, and they would always tip them over everywhere, and I was like, 'There's got to be an easier way to close this," Provost told KSL. "So, I came up with a sleeve that fit over the box, and then it morphed into what you see today."

What Provost is talking about is the resealable box top that he not only created but also patented. He had recently been introduced to patenting products as a dental student at the Georgetown School of Medicine and Dentistry.

"I had an idea for a computerized articulator for dentistry that reproduces the motions of the mouth and the teeth, and I told my professor about it," Provost recalled. "My professor thought it was a great idea and said he'd pay for it and help me do it. ... We won the national award that year (1968) for the American Dental Association. And ever since that time, I thought, 'You know, that's what I'd like to do in my life.' I want to help students like he did."

Provost, known to many as "Doc," is the founder of the Innovation Guidance and Solutions Center at Utah Tech University in St. George. And for the past nine years, the 82-year-old retiree has worked closely with students at the University's Innovation Plaza to get their ideas off and running – with the proper provisions in place, of course.

"Laws changed in 2013, so it's not who invents something; it's who gets there first," Provost said. "So we sign nondisclosures, and they tell me about their idea, then we do a commercial and patent vetting on it. ... I let them make the decision to pursue this or not to pursue it. And then we typically do a marking analysis before we take anything to the patent attorneys."

Deshka Olson, a former student of Provost, created a product she hoped would suppress the gagging reflex in dental patients. Her product, known as NoGag, went from an idea to a patent and then all the way to dental offices. She said that without Doc's mentorship, she wouldn't be where she is today.

"It's pretty cool to think where we started and where it is now and the potential it holds," Olson told KSL. "Doc is trying to develop these students and leave the community better than he found it, which is super rare to find in a mentor. He wants to see you grow."

Sophomore engineering student Bracken Thiroit has a patent pending for a product that helps save water usage for RV users. He said that Provost is the "ultimate professional problem-solver," adding that he "inspires people to believe in themselves."

"Doc could be doing other things in his life, but he has dedicated it to helping future generations be optimistic about the future of innovation because that's how things in this life will improve," Thiroit said.

Provost has many reasons for doing what he does, and like many, the secret to innovation is often rooted in personal struggle.

"I had a son pass away when he was 17 from leukemia after he had a bone marrow transplant," Provost said. "We were in the hospital for nine months. After that, my wife and I decided we wanted to do some good in the world. We started Teens Kickin Cancer, which is a youth leadership organization that raised money to help pediatric cancer patients and their families."

It was also the loss of his son that led to his most recent patent, the Illuminated Infusion Line, which is safety technology designed to identify and illuminate intravenous lines, preventing medication errors.

"My whole goal is to teach kids that they have value and to believe in themselves," he said. "I made a pretty good living off my patents, and so I'm into sharing. I have totally dedicated my life, my time and my wallet to helping the students here at this university."

Provost said that even at the age of 82, he has no plans of stopping anytime soon.

"I'd say this is my happy place," he said. "I would like to be able to stay here as long as I'm upright. I get great pleasure and joy in seeing students believe in themselves and making something of themselves."

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