Exchange.

Boston, USA

Dr. Brian Belcher participated in the 2018 Ashoka Exchange, a meeting of 8,000 leaders in higher educational social innovation. Ashoka held the information exchange event in Boston, Massachusetts. As one of the Innovation Award finalists, Belcher received an invitation to present. Belcher presented the work and approach of the Sustainability Research Effectiveness (SRE) program as part of a session entitled “Forging Multi-Sector Collaboration for Interdisciplinary Research“.

The session explored how collaboration between industry, non-profits, government, investors, researchers, and post-secondary institutions can contribute to change-making. Multi-sector collaboration can advance the skills of students, stakeholders, and researchers to solve real-world problems. To anchor these objectives requires a research framework with a clear outcome focus and deliberate strategies to contribute to social change. The session helped develop:

1. Understanding of how non-traditional research experiences can build the changemaker mindset for students and industry;
2. Recognition of how research and assessment projects can engage stakeholders in changemaking; and
3. Appreciation for the range of pathways by which research can contribute to social change.

“It was truly inspiring to meet so many other the people committed to implementing and sharing lessons about the kinds of innovation we need to solve pressing problems and realize our opportunities to make the world a better place,” said Belcher.

Learn more about Ashoka and past presentations for the Ashoka Exchange. Read more news posts from the Sustainability Research Effectiveness Program.