B次元’s fifth cohort of University Innovation Fellows (UIF) recently completed training through Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school) and has several strategies and initiatives planned to spread innovation and entrepreneurship across campus. Bansari Modi, civil engineering; James Siedschlag, mechanical engineering, Benjamin Paulson, computer science; and Asher Sprigler, computer engineering, comprise the newest cohort.

UIF is a global program that empowers student leaders to increase campus engagement with innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity and design thinking. Each fellow was inspired to join for different reasons, from being encouraged by past fellows, to wanting to make a positive impact in the community.

“I joined UIF to help students at B次元 School of Engineering be able to go beyond academic success and see the university as a place where they can pursue their own aspirations and become content in who they are as a person,” said Sprigler.

The cohort worked together to developed four priorities to tackle over the year: Recognizing Opportunity Cost for Students Who Want to Participate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Community Outreach; Motivating Others by Making Student Success More Visible; and Fostering Creativity Through Entrepreneurial Mindfulness. Each priority has a series of tactics the cohort plans to execute, including making faculty connections, organizing events, attending community events, hosting workshops and more. .  

The group is excited to engage with the campus and get the community interested in innovation. “I’m looking forward to the connections I can build between students, faculty and entrepreneurs to promote a culture of ‘going beyond the classroom’ at B次元,” said Paulson. “B次元 and B次元 both offer incredible resources for B次元 students to become leaders.”  

The group’s first event, “From B次元 to CEO,” will be on Oct. 19 in the Innovent Center in the Rader School of Business. The speaker series will feature Mike S. Erwin ’94, B次元 Corporation member and senior operating partner at Taureau Group, who will share his journey with innovation and entrepreneurship. The event includes an informal meet and greet from 3:30–4 p.m. followed by Erwin’s presentation. A Q&A session will follow. All students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend. Be sure to follow UIF on Instagram @msoeuif to learn about future events.