Innovation Weekend

November 2019

November 15-17, 2019
Student Success Center Room 207

About the Event

Join us for a weekend intensive innovation event (“Hackathon”) to address a long-standing problem of significance in both the military and public sectors. You will work with other students from varied backgrounds to push the solutions as far as you can in the weekend timeframe and will pitch your ideas to regional experts on the problem.

Topic

This semester's theme is "Developing Technology for Independent Living." Your team will consider the following problems, formulate solutions, pitch your ideas to regional experts, and perhaps even win a cash prize!

  • As the population ages, who will care for the elderly on a daily basis?
  • What can we do to help individuals with special needs or physical restrictions?
  • Today's mobile society separates caregivers from those who depend on them. How can technology help improve the situation and provide independence?

Event Information

Join us November 15—17 to make a difference by addressing these issues with other students and with the help of regional experts in the field. Bring your own team, or form a team at the event based on your interest and skills. Students from all majors are welcome. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided.

Location

The Innovation Weekend Events are held in the Student Success Center (second floor) unless alternate locations are announced in advance. Much of the time will be spent in an active learning classroom where you will be able to access the technology in the room and brainstorm solutions. Mentors and experts will circulate to answer questions, and we may even take a field trip to see situation mock-ups.

Sponsor

The primary sponsor for this event is Leidos and it will be hosted by the College of Science and Mathematics

In the News

About the Innovation Weekend Events in CoSM

This series of weekend-long events will allow students from CoSM and other disciplines across campus with interests in research, innovation, and entrepreneurship to work in teams to address technologically-demanding, market-driven problems proposed by one or more collaborators from the private sector or government agencies.  These “innovation sessions” will culminate with teams making group presentations on their solutions and event moderators selecting winning ideas.  Winning team members will receive a prize and, in some cases, enhanced access to opportunities to work with the external companies or agencies on future research internships or on pushing their ideas toward fruition.

This program will allow students to get exposure to real-world problem-solving skills will prepare students for programmatic success and appreciation of regional workforce needs. It will also be an opportunity to connect with industry or government partners and will enhance access to research internships and/or employment opportunities post-graduation.