The Innovation Council invites faculty, staff and students to attend the Explorer Challenge 2.0 Ideas Sandpit on Tuesday, Feb. 25, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the 707 Hub. Join to learn more about the initial submitted ideas and how you can help develop them, as well as how to connect with the Innovation Council to identify additional project ideas.
For the past 10 years, the Explorer Challenge has supported collaborative and innovative ideas brought forward by the entire Marquette campus, including staff, students and faculty.
The preliminary ideas will be discussed in time blocks. Participants do not need to stay for the entire time.
Discussion topics from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. include:
- Update the automatic flush public toilets with a sensory-friendly feature to aid individuals on the spectrum and anyone who has experienced a premature flush.
- The Technology and Digital Innovation Lab is a collaborative initiative where students work on real-world projects for external clients, applying analytics, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to solve business challenges. Through hands-on experience, students gain practical skills, industry exposure and the opportunity to innovate in a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment.
- Supporting textbook affordability and student success at Marquette through initiatives like Community.Books.You. This proposal would focus on partnering with faculty in high-DFW courses to review open textbooks and other open or library-licensed materials to determine if those could meet the academic needs of our faculty and students as an alternative to requiring students to purchase textbooks.
- Working with the Innovation Council to identify and develop additional project ideas, available during all time slots.
Discussion topics from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. include:
- Set up a stand on Marquette’s campus that serves matcha and other refreshing drinks to give students, faculty and staff a healthy drink option while creating a sense of community.
- Bringing businesses from around Milwaukee to Marquette to help spread the word about those small businesses, and serving as a way to promote cultural diversity, offer more food options on campus and potentially make Marquette’s very own food pop-up.
- Expand the work of Narrative 4 on campus, harnessing the power of storytelling to help individuals and communities flourish. Funding will help Narrative 4 train faculty, students and staff to offer high-quality, inspiring programming to build community on campus.
- Working with the Innovation Council to identify and develop additional project ideas, available during all time slots.
- After a successful pilot sponsored by the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences and the Center for the Advancement of the Humanities in 2024-25, The Humanities Careers Catalyst Project seeks additional funding to match Marquette humanities majors with employers, providing students with paid internships that will facilitate their professional development; provide students with new and earlier advising towards graduate and professional degrees; and create new lines of networking, mentoring, and communication between Marquette students and employers.
Discussion topics from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. include:
- The proposed Marquette University Feeding Clinic will provide interdisciplinary care for children with Pediatric Feeding Disorders (PFD), bringing together experts from speech-language pathology, occupational and physical therapy, nursing and psychology. This initiative will offer hands-on training for students, foster research opportunities and improve access to specialized feeding support for families and children in need.
- The proposed Feminine Hygiene Product Accessibility Initiative seeks to address the lack of feminine hygiene products in bathrooms across Marquette’s campus. This project aims to stock restrooms with essential items like tampons and pads, ensuring that all students have access to the products they need during school hours, regardless of their financial situation.
- Working with the Innovation Council to identify and develop additional project ideas, available during all time slots.
- A program designed to provide resources and guidance for pre-health students, starting with pre-optometry, to simplify the application process by offering tools for tracking deadlines, planning admissions tests and researching schools based on key factors like requirements, costs and clinical site availability. In addition to streamlining this process, it helps students explore alternative health science careers, including master’s programs like genetic counseling and health education, as well as professional fields such as veterinary medicine and pharmacology. A key focus is assisting first-generation students in navigating the complexities of graduate school applications, ensuring they have the knowledge and support needed to make informed career decisions.
