InnovateIT 2018, a first-of-its-kind, on-campus, multidisciplinary event on March 2nd, brought together over 100 students, mentors, and volunteers at the iCREATE facilities to offer solutions to resolve a major global conflict.  Participants working in teams developed ideas from creating inventive ways to help with food pantries, recycling food products, prosthetics for children in need, food disposal, and much more.

This cutting-edge event was an iCREATE | Division of Information Technology showcase where students from around campus were encouraged to explore and utilize innovative tools and techniques in developing their own original ideas.  Despite an unexpected Nor’easter sweeping in on Friday, March 2nd and potentially bringing the event to a screeching halt, the organizers felt that it was imperative to offer an on-campus event for their dedicated participants.

The concept behind InnovateIT was conceived many months ago when a driven group of students from iCREATE decided to work collaboratively with the Director. Their mission: To put on a event that would be different from the standard, traditional hack-a-thon. Hack-a-thons are traditionally geared towards computer science programmers or engineers developing apps and / or connected products to solve a common issue or problem.  These usually drastically limit the interest and participation from other on-campus majors. One of the core elements and missions of iCREATE is to overcome this barrier of entry, and focus on offering interdisciplinary innovation across the campus so that all can participate and collaborate, regardless of their major.

At the InnovateIT 2018 opening ceremony, Director David Ecker discussed his childhood experience growing up in a house where his mother hand-made his Halloween costumes each year on a sewing machine.  As a student, he was interested in the food pantry on campus and had visited them twice to find out more about them. He shared the need to get out the word of this resource, and addressed the existing problem on how to make students feel more comfortable about going to the food pantry. From his experience, “It is a very humbling to go to such a place [like a food pantry], when you don’t have enough money.  It is very personal and hard to admit a problem.” He understood, and admitted how embarrassed he would be. This powerful opening rallied students to think creatively about their concerns, and how to conquer them.

At the event, there were many student teams looking to offer solutions with the stigma surrounding food pantries as a resource, as well as other social and world issues.  After working all night, energized teams proudly presented their work at 8am the next morning. One group was determined to develop their idea – working on an app to let users know when there was extra food from events on campus. Another team was working on a app to track social conscious companies.

Kelvin Rodriguez, a freshman participating at InnovateIT, found the event to be life-changing for his career. Passionate about his childhood dream in working with prosthetics, Kelvin seized the opportunity iCREATE offered to construct his very first prosthetic.

“I felt like I had found a purpose …. I found myself pushing to learning Arduino, 3D modeling, and planning out my future – all from this one mission [to design, 3D print, and assemble a prosthetic hand] I had assigned myself just a few days after the event.”

InnovateIT’s impact was felt by many through its staff and its mission to its participants.

“The staff of iCreate don’t just give you the materials to do it, but the support too. I know if I didn’t see the amazed faces of the volunteers, workers, and Director [David Ecker] who kept coming to check on my progress and making sure I had all the possible materials that they could offer, then I wouldn’t have ever found the inspiration and drive to come up with this mission. I am truly grateful, and I hope others who come by can find the resources offered by iCreate as inspiring and supportive as I have.”