*Innovation Week 2020 Canceled*
Due to the spread of COVID-19, BU is moving classes online through the end of the spring semester. Innovation week 2020 has been canceled but we encourage students and BU community members to join us on our virtual programs including office hours and workshops.
Since 2018, Innovation Week at BU hosted over 25 unique events across the University including a tour through Boston’s cultural entrepreneurship centers, an interactive performance theatre workshops, a mini-hackathon bringing together graphic design and computer science students, a day-long AR/VR tech festival, and awarding the annual Student Innovator of the Year.
Whether these events were informative or interactive, they created a platform for members of the BU community to highlight their work and projects or inspire new ideas.
In 2020, we look forward to celebrating the University’s partnerships, ventures, movements, and projects that fuel energy into the BU community, inspiring us to transform new, innovative ideas into impact. Check out the details below to learn how you can get involved as an event host!
Whatever form innovation takes in your class, life, career, major, or student club, we want to celebrate it during Innovation Week at BU! Aside from attending an Innovation Week event, here are a few suggestions for how faculty, students, staff, and alums can participate:
- Faculty could consider opening up their classrooms the week of April 13th to the BU Community and incorporating an open conversation focused on innovation and transforming ideas to impact.
- Researchers and members of the University’s cutting-edge institutes could host an event to present their work on some of the world’s toughest challenges like climate change, economic development, and global health.
- Host an innovative BU alum or speaker in class, at your school/college, or a student club meeting.
- Have a Pitch Practice session in class or during a student club meeting. Open the event up to the BU community for feedback or advice!
- Present a social challenge to your class or student club and work together to come up with new, creative solutions. Present your ideas in class or open it up to the BU community!
- Hold a class or club meeting in an innovative space like the BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center.
- Screen a film or host an art show – maybe it’s a documentary about innovation in a specific field or artwork that modifies traditional methods and materials.
Don’t overthink it!
Don’t feel pressured to re-work your class or club calendar to make it fit the timing of Innovation Week at BU.
- Our intention is not to make more work for staff and students.
- We see this week as one of many ways to highlight innovations happening across campus year-round!
Check out last year's schedule
2019 Schedule
Check back regularly as the schedule grows!
Weeklong Events
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Varied installments throughout the week
Learn more
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Mon.-Fri. 1-4pm, Earl Center (Wheelock Campus), 180 Riverway
The Earl Center has teamed up with Learn Launch Accelerator, the leading Edtech startup program to host the Learn Launch Lunch Series. The series is designed to bring the educators and Edtech companies together to add the much-needed educators’ voice into the development process of educational products and services. The Earl Center will thematically host Edtech companies, who are in various stages so faculty members, staff and students come by and provide honest and constructive feedback to help build effective solutions.
- Monday, 4/22 – ScholarJet
- Tuesday 4/23 – BlocksCAD
- Wednesday 4/24 – Unruly Studios and MentorWorks
- Thursday 4/25 – Beagle Learning
- Friday 4/26 – GoPeer
Saturday, April 20:
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9am-1pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center, 730 Commonwealth Avenue
Are you looking for hands-on practical experience in Public Relations? Are you looking for jobs in Non-profit/for-profit business? Do you have an idea but struggle to communicate with others? The PR Hackathon 2019 will be a good fit for you! This signature event will walk you through the journey of self-discovery by applying professional PR expertise to startups and driving innovation further. For starters, startups begin with a clean slate and no brand awareness. Participants with various backgrounds, marketing skill sets, and creative abilities will serve as professional consultants to help startups advance their PR strategy.
Learn More & Sign-up
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2pm & 8pm, Studio ONE, 855 Commonwealth Avenue
As InMotion Theatre’s 2019 production, the School of Theatre is collaborating with the School of Music and the School of Visual Arts to produce Sunlight Interior, a production based on embracing the unknown with generosity, guidance, communal spirit, and light.
Learn More & Get Tickets
Monday, April 22:
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12:20-2:05pm, College of Communication, Room 101, 640 Commonwealth Ave.
Join us at PRLab’s End-of-Semester Client Presentations to see firsthand how the agency’s account teams have collaborated to push boundaries and produce results for clients such as Freebird Rides, Ben & Jerry’s, Clover Food Lab, and Goodwill. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to learn more about agency life and hear reflections from student staff members at the award-winning PRLab, the longest-operating, student-led PR agency in the country.
RSVP: Email prlab@bu.edu
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12:30-1:30pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center, 730 Commonwealth Ave.
Questrom Professor Siobhan O’Mahoney and Doctoral student Rebecca Karp present their research on how 28 entrepreneurs in a single cohort in a digital health accelerator attempted to develop a market for their digital health innovations.
RSVP
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1-5pm, Hillel House, 2nd Floor Lounge, 213 Bay State Road
The Jewish Cultural Endowment and the School of Theology are pleased to invite you to, “The Sanctuary Movement as an Interfaith Response to a Humanitarian Crisis.” Grace Yukich, Associate Professor of Sociology at Quinnipiac University, will deliver the keynote address, “A Refuge for Immigrants: The Promise and Challenge of Sanctuary in the United States.” Additional presentations will be made by Rady Roldán-Figueroa, Daryl Ireland, and Jonathan Calvillo. The forum will also feature panelists who were active in the first Sanctuary Movement and/or who are currently active in the new Sanctuary Movement.
Learn more
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2-3:15pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center, 730 Commonwealth Ave.
Come get a taste of all the innovation on campus! Learn about the food organizations within the BU community and beyond that are creating their own recipes for innovation. Then stick around for activities, music, conversations and (of course) food!
RSVP
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2-2:30pm, Photonics Center, 1st floor, Room 109, 8 Saint Mary Street
Solar energy is a critical part of the world’s strategy to combat climate change. Keeping solar panels clean is challenge, especially given that many places with lots of sun are dry and dusty. Most current strategies use water, but this is a limited and valuable resource. Come see the innovative solution – a water-free self-cleaning solar panel – created in Professor Malay Mazumder’s lab in Photonics, and learn how it could revolutionize the solar industry worldwide.
No RSVP needed
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5:30-6:30pm, College of Communication, Room 323, 640 Commonwealth Avenue
SpotOn! is a health and wellness podcast for college students, soon-to-be college students, or anyone who knows a college student. Spot On! breaks though the latest health and wellness information, hijacked from the media headlines, to provide the listener with real, accurate, and usable information that is Spot On to meet their needs. This is an interdisciplinary project involving a Sargent College nutrition faculty member and both Sargent College and the School of Communications students. Pizza will be served!
No RSVP needed
Tuesday, April 23
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9-10:45am, School of Hospitality Administration, 1st floor Auditorium, 928 Commonwealth Avenue
Student teams will present their final “Pecha Kucha” presentations based on historical Boston sites that they have visited during the semester each with a current use as a Hospitality venue. These interactive multi-media presentations will focus on the historical importance of the site; how it has been an integral part of the Greater Boston area and how it has now become part of the Hospitality landscape.
No RSVP needed.
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10-11am, Engineering Product Innovation Center, Room 101, 750 Commonwealth Ave.
Tour BU’s on-campus student maker space, Engineering Product Innovation Center, including its facility, 3D printer, and CAD/CAM model fabrication demos!
Email meepic@bu.edu to RSVP
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3:30-5pm, Photonics Center, Room 111 & 113, 8 St. Mary’s Street
The ECE Senior Design Project Showcase is a display of two dozen completed undergraduate student projects which highlight innovation, design detail, and a commitment to societal engineering.
No RSVP Needed
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4-6pm, College of General Studies, Room 511, 871 Commonwealth Ave.
Hear from Soli founder Robert MacArthur about how Soli was developed at BU and tested with students as a consumer reward that addresses climate change. He will be joined by BU students Kiersten Sullivan and John Sullivan. Our interactive, solutions-oriented session will begin with a powerful video, lasting 2 minutes, that introduces Soli’s mission. It will be followed with a clear, concise presentation that covers the important points about Soli, and how everyone can have an immediate impact on reducing carbon and fighting climate change!
No RSVP Needed
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5-7pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center
Learn more.
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6-8:45pm, 1010 Massachusetts Ave. Teaching Studio R122
Sit in on final project demos from students in Metropolitan College’s Cultural Entrepreneurship and Site Specific Art classes!
Email smagee@bu.edu with questions
Wednesday, April 24
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8-9:45am and 10:10:-11:55am, School of Hospitality, 2nd Floor Room 210, 928 Commonwealth Ave.
SHA’s Leadership student teams are presenting innovative solutions to common problems that many hospitality leaders today face at work. Presentations will be 30 minutes each, and will include an engaging activity. Students will be basing their solutions on research, leadership theory, and their knowledge of the field. Some of the topics to be covered include: 1) how hospitality leaders can help keep their employees accountable, but at the same time, highly engaged and motivated at work, and 2) what hospitality leaders can do to effectively invite and retain more diverse talent into their workforce.
No RSVP Needed
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12:30-2pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center
A conversation with Emma Johnson of EmJohn Jewelry and Fiona Whittington of TechTogether Boston about their start in entrepreneurship. We will discuss their stories and hear about what they are doing to expand woman-run businesses and empowering women in entrepreneurship and innovation. You will also have the opportunity to share and gain feedback on your own ideas and hear about the ideas of others for inspiration.Lunch will be provided!
RSVP
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3-5pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center
RSVP
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5-6pm, George Sherman Union Alley
As part of Earth Week at BU, Student Government, Innovate@BU and sustainability@BU are hosting a career speed networking event for students interested in working in sustainability. We invite alumni and other people who have built careers and invite them to answer questions students have about getting started.
RSVP Details Coming Soon
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5:30-7:30pm, Fuller’s Pub, 225 Bay State Road
Every year in the US, 40% of food is wasted. Come hear how local companies have developed innovative and delicious solutions to this problem! Food and drinks (21+) included!
- Food For All partners with the best restaurants so you can buy their unsold meals for at least 50% off – because delicious food should be tasted, not wasted!
- Bruzd Foods recovers “ugly” or excess produce from local farms that would otherwise be wasted and delivers it to Boston Area residents for the fraction of the price that supermarkets would sell the produce
- Brewer’s Crackers are delicious, sustainable and highly nutritious crackers made from the spent grains of local breweries.
- Toast Ale is an award-winning craft beer brewed with surplus fresh bread that would otherwise be wasted. All profits go to charity!
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6-7:30pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center
This event will elucidate the relationship between research and innovation currently happening on campus and will expose students to a number of different routes their current research could take to become real-world applications. All students interested in the potential impact of their research are encouraged to attend!
RSVP
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6:30-8:00pm, 100 Bay State Road, 6th Floor,
Graduating soon? Learn to negotiate your salary!AAUW Start Smart is specifically designed to teach you how to negotiate salaries for a new job. In every two-hour workshop you’ll gain confidence in your negotiation style through facilitated discussion and role-play and learn: How to identify and articulate your personal value; How to develop an arsenal of persuasive responses and other strategies to use when negotiating; How to conduct objective market research to benchmark a target salary and benefits; About the pay gap, including its long-term consequences.
RSVP
Thursday, April 25
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9-10:45am, School of Hospitality Administration, 1st floor Auditorium, 928 Commonwealth Avenue
Student teams will present their final “Pecha Kucha” presentations based on historical Boston sites that they have visited during the semester each with a current use as a Hospitality venue. These interactive multi-media presentations will focus on the historical importance of the site; how it has been an integral part of the Greater Boston area and how it has now become part of the Hospitality landscape.
No RSVP needed.
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11am-2pm, GSU Plaza
Learn more
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2-5pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center
Find job and internship opportunities with inspiring startups in the Boston area for this summer or next semester! Hosted by the Entrepreneur’s Club, 20 amazing for-profit/non-profit companies will be set-up in the BUild Lab to learn more about you.
Learn more
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5:30pm, Cambridge Innovation Center, 5th Floor One Broadway, Cambridge
Join Questrom School of Business Health Sector Management program at BioConnect 2019! VentureCafe is a weekly gathering of entrepreneurs, investors and other innovation ecosystem players on Thursdays 3-8pm in Kendall Square.April 25th’s theme is BioConnect! Registration is free. Questions? Email Professor Vinit Nijhawan.
Learn more & Register
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6-10pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center
This three-part event brings together innovation, arts, and technology created by Boston University students! Get inspired by a student art gallery–including interactive installations, the IMPACT Film Competition finale screening and awards, and screening of MEOW Wolf. Drop in or stay the entire time!
RSVP & Learn About Showcase Opportunities
Friday, April 26
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10-11:30am, 444 Somverville Avenue, Somerville
Ever wonder what the cutting edge of sustainable technology looks like? Ever want to go to an incubator where people grow tomatoes, drive hydrogen fueled cars and build big cellphone signal blimps? Luckily, the US’ largest clean tech incubator is in Somerville and Innovate@BU has organized a tour!
RSVP
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11am-12pm, Boston University Medical Campus, 72 East Concord Street, Evans Building, 7th FL, Conference RM E730.
Moderator: Frederick L. Ruberg, MD (BUSM Medicine, BU CTSI Pilot program director) – https://profiles.bu.edu/Frederick.RubergSpeakers:Elisha Wachman, MD (BUSM Pediatrics)- https://profiles.bu.edu/Elisha.Wachman
Lou Awad, PhD, DPT (Sargent College) – https://profiles.bu.edu/Lou.Awad
Victoria Herrera, MD (BUSM, Cardiovascular Institute) – https://profiles.bu.edu/Victoria.Herrera
Finn Hawkins, MBBCh (BUSM Medicine) – https://profiles.bu.edu/Finn.Hawkins
Email frederick.ruberg@bmc.org with questions
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12:30-2pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center
Hear final presentations from students enrolled in Innovate@BU’s two Hub Cocurricular courses: Innovation for Social Impact and The Innovation Pathway.
RSVP
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12-1:30pm, George Sherman Union, outside of Starbucks & Campus Convenience
Come see a live cooking demonstration to highlight the issue of food waste as a BU dining chef prepares a main course dish with a mystery basket of imperfect produce! Food samples will be provided.
No RSVP needed
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1-2:30pm, BU Spark! 111 Cummington Mall
Dont waste time! Bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and web developers. Attendees will develop a check list of items to consider prior to meeting with a website designer in order to maximize effectiveness.
RSVP
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1-3pm, 110 Cummington Mall, Room B04
During this event we will be giving a tour of the BU Racing space, teaching about how our electric car works, and sharing our personal experiences with working on a Formula Hybrid team.
RSVP
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3-5pm, Howard Thurman Center, George Sherman Union Lower Level
Innovation, entrepreneurship, and start-up culture are all terms getting more and more play in our modern academic circles. But what exactly do we mean by these terms, and can they be cultivated in every person? How can young people prepare for careers in a century that will experience so much technological change that many jobs don’t yet exist? What does it mean to think like an entrepreneur or work like a start-up? Let’s talk at a special edition of “Coffee & Conversation.”
Drop In, No RSVP Needed
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5-6pm, BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center, 730 Commonwealth Ave.
Want to learn more about the various entrepreneurship and innovation resources offered at BU? Join us for our Innovation & Entrepreneurship Panel where you’ll have the opportunity to hear from current Questrom MBA students and learn more about Innovate@BU – Boston University’s innovation initiative. Participate in an interactive discussion, speak with members of the admissions team, and network with other prospective MBA students – all while experiencing the BUild Lab, our on-campus student innovation center. Space is limited, so please register in advance.
RSVP
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8pm, Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre, 820 Commonwealth Avenue
By Ursula Le Guin | Adapted by Natsu Onoda Power | Directed by Sara Katzoff. $15 General Admission | $10 BU Alumni | Free with BU ID, at the door, day of performance, subject to availability
Tickets
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6-9pm, BU Photonics Center, 8 St. Mary’s Street, 9th Floor .
Join Innovate@BU for a night to celebrate student and alumni innovation! This year-end celebration will feature the grand finale of the annual New Venture Competition, a showcase of BU-led startups and social impact projects, award presentations, and more!
RSVP
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6-8:30pm, Agganis Arena, Burke Room, 925 Commonwealth Ave.
TEDxBU’s theme “Avant Garde” was chosen to embody the overall spirit of TED – spreading ideas that matter. Avant Garde defined emphasizes the introduction of new and experimental ideas in all industries from business to art. TEDxBU is a celebration of individual ideas and breaking the status quo. The event is a medium meant to facilitate discussion, and introduce radical ideas.Tickets are free for BU students.
Get Tickets
Saturday, April 27
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9am-7pm, Center for Integrated Life Sciences and Engineering, Colloquium Room 101, 610 Commonwealth Avenue
The Boston University City Planning and Urban Affairs Program invites you to the 2019 Urban Studies Capstone Showcase. Students will present their work over the course of one day from 9am to 4:30pm. Lunch will be served. The presentations will be followed by a networking reception from 5pm to 7pm.
RSVP
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9am-12:30pm, George Sherman Union, 775 Commonwealth Ave, 2nd Floor, Ziskind Lounge and Conference Auditorium
Final presentations of 5 teams as part of the Cross-College Challenge pilot course, HUB XC 433. Interdisciplinary teams from across BU will present their real-world projects undertaken in conjunction with a variety of on-campus and community clients.
RSVP
Sunday, April 28
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5-8pm, Hillel House, 213 Bay State Road
INFLUEXPO is the first East Coast networking event dedicated to College Instagrammers, Youtubers and the social media obsessed.This one night event, created by college influencers FOR college influencers, is where aspiring social media peeps can meet each other, get exclusive free brand merch, and interact with a panel of successful college Youtubers..
RSVP
Monday, April 29
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12-5pm, George Sherman Union Metcalf Hall
BU AR/VR is hosting the second annual AR/VR (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality) Festival on April 29th! This event is an expo where a variety of companies that are involved in AR/VR will be hosting tables and holding presentations! Drop by and meet the different companies and check out their tech.
RSVP