Katherine Olives
Last Friday, September 30th, the Zahn Innovation Center hosted it's second-annual Idea Jam, a day-long ideation session meant to challenge students to create innovative solutions for local, global, and everyday issues. Students were presented with broad challenges including clean energy, clean water, the hunger crisis, global internet access, tech & data literacy, affordable education, human rights, foster care, sustaining the arts, and migraine management that were submitted to us by local and state government stakeholders. OpenBox, a design and innovation consultancy, led Idea Jam by introducing students to the process of design thinking.
City College students from a variety of different majors and disciplines including psychology, english, math, biology, engineering, education, marketing, public administration, and computer science establish creative solutions for the complex issues presented to them at Idea Jam. These are some of the ideas that were born:
1.) An ergonomically-sound chair/desk so that all students in school, regardless of size or physical circumstance, can better focus on learning.
2.) A kit with a tablet, VR headset, and Little Bits to teach STEM skills. Those with the Creator's Box can play with the items and learn how to code, etc. to teach STEM skills.
3.) A smart trashcan that will help you learn how to recycle, will compost trash, and will collect data about the kinds of trash collected in certain areas.
4.) A peer-to-peer mentorship program for those in the foster care system.
5.) Vertical gardens that will grow on rooftops to properly feed the community.
6.) An app that helps individuals with chronic migraines track and manage triggers, while also putting the power into the hands of the consumer when it comes to medicine (patients can leave reviews about the medicine they're taking, etc.). It will also come with an air sensor to attach to your phone that will alert you when the air that you're breathing will trigger you so that you can get out of there before an attack comes on.
7.) A system for applied sociology to face human rights issues. It will combine a skype-like technology with VR to literally allow you to walk in someone else's shoes. First, they plan on using it in the classrooms to allow students to learn about different cultures first-hand. The program will automatically translate languages, so you'll be able to speak to anyone. Then, it will be used for an immersive sensitivity training experience.
We'd like to especially thank those who addressed our students on Friday and submitted challenges including Adrienne Schmoeker, Senior Project Manager, Open Innovation at the Mayor's Office of Technology and Innovation; Matthew Washington, Deputy Borough President, Manhattan Borough; and Rebecca Shumlin, Digital Strategist, Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. We'd also like to thank the expert mentors who coached students throughout the day including Standard Chartered Bank mentors Valerie Pholpituke, Mini Roy, and Armando Tello; Zahn Catalysts & Associates Karen Langsam, Celia Lloyd, Glen Patterson, Anasa Scott, and Natalia Trujillo Bolanos; and OpenBox experts Casey James, Amanda Ostrove, Carly O'Callaghan, and Nu Goteh.