Innovation U formally launches the Year of Innovation

Exhibits and demonstrations by dozens of campus and community innovators, special breakout sessions covering topics ranging from sparking innovative thinking to how to take innovation to the next level, and flash talks and presentations focusing on innovations with roots at the UW and what made them successful, will highlight a special event today kicking off the Year of Innovation as declared by Interim Chancellor David Ward.

The event — UW Is “Innovation U”: Building on a Tradition of Innovation — will run from noon-5 p.m. Featured in several locations throughout Town Center at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, Innovation U will offer students, faculty and staff the chance to participate in an afternoon dedicated to looking at diverse approaches to innovation, taking the opportunity create new campus-community connections and learning about existing campus resources for innovation.

The event will be capped off by a moderated discussion about innovation and the university’s future with three UW deans: François Ortalo-Magné (School of Business), Gary Sandefur (College of Letters & Sciences) and Julie Underwood (School of Education).

Three new student competitions linked with three themes of the Year of Innovation will be announced.

Attendees can register to win door prizes, including a three-month subscription to Sector67; a Wisconsin Union mini course; lunch with innovators Matt Younkle or Chad Sorenson; and assorted gift cards. To win, individuals must be present.

The Year of Innovation is cosponsored by the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).