Innovation Center at MC

What is an innovation center? How shall it be defined at MC?

MC project concept (Sturgeon)

From the University of Illinois at Chicago, Innovation Center

1) The Innovation Center is a community of industry entrepreneurs and academic researchers working in partnership to instigate breakthroughs: fusing the uncommon, taking risks, thinking big.

2) The Innovation Center’s mission is to produce Innovation and Innovators through 3 approaches to engagement.

Collaboration: Bring industry thought leaders together with university experts to seed innovative thinking and to enable collaboration in design, technology, products, services, and business models."

Education: Our interdisciplinary educational mission seeks to engage faculty and students in close collaboration with corporate partners to develop and commercialize new products.

Incubation: Support innovation activities though the use of the innovation center facilities, capabilities and financial support.

Why does MC need an innovation center?

1) An innovation center will attract students.

2) An innovation center will support/appeal to current students.

3) An innovation center will allow students and faculty to work together on projects outside of the traditional classroom.

Who (faculty/staff/other) will be involved in an innovation center?

1) Connell (PEC)

2) Fasano (Physics)

3) Bolon (PEC)

4) Rothbart (PEC)

5) Sturgeon (Chemistry)

What activities will be going on in the MC innovation center?

1) see list at MC project concept (Sturgeon)

2) Poster printer/student design facilities,

3) Virtual Reality gaming,

4) other?