Provost Salma Ghanem, Associate Provost for Research Daniela Stan Raicu and President Rob Manuel (Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University)
Lucia Dettori, intermin dean for Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media (Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain)
Elissa Foster, professor of communication studies (Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University)
Sarah Weisz, a grant writer for DePaul University, moderated a panel discussion about "using innovation as a springboard". (Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University)
Andrea Saenz, CEO and president of the Chicago Community Trust, an organization connecting donors with nonprofits in order to alleviate regional wealth inequities, segregation, community violence and other social causes. (Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University)
Michelle Stuhlmacher, an assistant professor in Geography and GIS, moderated a panel discussion about teaching and scholarship as a form of innovation. (Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University)
Nancy Hashimoto, director of advising for the college of education, and Jennifer Mueller, dean of the college of education (Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University)
Howard Rosing, director of the Irwin W. Steans Center, delivered a keynote address about sustainable gardening. (Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University)
DePaul’s 6th annual Innovation Day, “Connecting Ideas, Igniting Excellence,” certainly lived up to its name. On Jan. 31, faculty, staff, students and community partners gathered in celebration of research and creative activities at DePaul addressing pressing issues in Chicago and beyond, including food insecurity, immigration rights and health care disparities.
The day began with remarks from President Robert L. Manuel, who praised the spirit of the DePaul community. He emphasized DePaul’s commitment to sparking social change through intellectual curiosity and collaboration.
“I am proud of our university community and how they understand the role of civility and applying their talents to serve others,” Manuel said. “It’s an honor to see it develop and unfold.”
Keynote speaker Andrea Sáenz, president and CEO of the Chicago Community Trust, discussed transforming Chicago Public Libraries and learning from both the failures and successes of new ideas. When you step into a Chicago Public library today, you can see the results of that work: youth socializing in welcoming spaces and adults engaging with both technology and free educational materials.
Sáenz presented on We Rise Together, a campaign for an economically just recovery after the pandemic. She discussed a new community center in the North Austin neighborhood, a Chicago Community Trust project funded by donors. The center, located in a neighborhood affected by segregation and wealth disparities, has become a hub of activity. Some benefits of the center include a 9.9% increased spending on small businesses in the area—a statistic drawn from anonymous data from a corporate banking partner.
The theme of working together to create social good through research and innovation continued throughout the day.
Four panel presentations invited faculty researchers into conversation with community partners. Discussions included how to build collaborative teams; strategies for working with community partners; engaging with the arts to transform research; and taking on an entrepreneurial mindset across disciplines.
“We hope that these sessions will continue to spark collaborations that may well become the next big ideas at DePaul,” said Daniela Stan Raicu, associate provost for research.
Following the discussion the Innovation Showcase included interactive booths with current and upcoming projects at the university. A full list of those projects is available online.
Provost Salma Ghanem provided insight into the university’s unique perspective on innovation and what it means.
“It’s about embracing change, experimenting with angles and uncovering beauty in the unexpected,” Ghanem said. “Innovation drives progress, solves problems and enriches our lives, making the world a better place.”
Stay tuned to Newsline for upcoming stories on many of the ideas, people and research from the event.
DePaul’s Office of Research Services will continue conversations about innovation at a March 13 Sip and Social for faculty. They are also offering several upcoming events on grant writing, IRB protocols, and making connections. Visit their events page for more details.