Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>>Music
>>For members of Rochester
Institute of Technology's
Computer Science House,
inspiration leads to
innovation.
So what inspires Nathan Green?
>>"Roommates always losing
their keys and going to class
and forgetting to lock their
door."
>>That led him, along with
fellow residents of his
special-interest housing unit,
to create this electronic door
lock.
>>"The whole point is to be
able to log on from a computer
from anywhere in the world or
on campus and check the status
of your door, as well as lock
or unlock it."
>>The system was among
RIT-created breakthroughs
showcased during the unveiling
of the university's new Center
for Student Innovation.
The facility becomes a nexus of
creativity and technology -
a hub where student teams,
representing all corners of the
university, can develop and
showcase innovation and
entrepreneurial projects.
>>"And what we find over and
over again is when students from
different disciplines at RIT get
together to work on
multidisciplinary problems,
that's when the magic begins."
>>For students like Sandra
Turner, it's an opportunity to
enrich the research experience,
allowing her to incorporate
studies in industrial design
with additional expertise in
mechanical engineering.
>>"We can't innovate in a
vacuum.
We can't innovate in a closet.
We have to be working together.
We have our core competence and
our strengths, but it's
collectively bringing all that
together."
>>RIT President Bill Destler
expects the center to complement
a range of university
initiatives that are designed to
foster innovations.
Students in their very first
year on campus will be immersed
in these diverse resources.
But the center's overall
impact, he believes, extends
far beyond campus boundaries.
>>"The wide ranging talent of
RIT faculty, staff and students
I think is ideally suited to
the needs of industry for new
technologies and new ideas for
businesses, products and
services."
>>Many of these innovations
developed here...will be
showcased here, at Imagine RIT:
Innovation and Creativity
Festival.
The annual event provides the
world with a first-hand look at
the transformative nature of
RIT student ingenuity.
Long term, it may serve as a
pipeline for new jobs, leading
to a new economy.
That makes it an essential step
toward transforming RIT into the
nation's first Innovation
University.
>>"That is so cool!"
>>Come and meet the next
generation of innovators at
RIT's new Center for Student
Innovation.
Visitors are always welcome -
but bring along your ideas.
I'm Kevin Roche.