BioInspired! So What? Now What!

The links below take you to the YouTube clip.  Clicking on the times will take you to the appropriate place in the clip.

B3D Webinars: Face-to-Face Workshop Planning

00:53 Panel and audience members
01:52 Goals of face-to-face workshops
04:53 Workshop proposal
06:34 Proposed workshop agenda
09:41 Provocative statement
11:18 Discussion: strengths
20:45 Discussion: opportunities
34:14 Discussion: aspirations
42:51 Discussion: results
53:16 Actions
56:32 Announcement of Feb. 13th webinar

Overview

We spent about 10 minutes on the rationale for holding regional face-to-face B3D workshops linked to academic institutions with a strong interest in B3D.  A proposed agenda for these workshops included:

• an overview by the institution
• a keynote relevant to the overall B3D initiative
• an Open Space Technology kickoff, working sessions and kickoff
• next steps and action plans

For those not familiar with Open Space Technology, there is a good summary at http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?AboutOpenSpace.  OST sessions revolve around self-organized groups made up of the workshop participants - the assumption is that the expertise is not behind the podium but in front of it.  Key to successful OST events is defining a theme or challenge that attracts the right people and encourages them to take ownership of identifying opportunities or challenges and 'move the ball forward'. 

The panel with input from the audience spent about 40 minutes in a SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results) discussion (see highlights below). 

Strengths

• unique collection of researchers and practitioners representing a wide range of complementary and overlapping disciplines/skills
• recognition of the importance of conducting researching and the capability to recruit participants
• a common interest that holds network together, encourages dialogue, grounds the discussion and adds credibility
• a sense of urgency that will help guard against the 'analysis/paralysis' trap
• access to a diverse network of business partners, creating opportunities to turn ideas into practice

Opportunities

• links to 2030 Challenge (eco-literacy at university level), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) progrqms
• create opportunities to practice inter-disciplinary collaboration, demonstrate value and study the (CBID team narrowed down a wide range of biological analogies by making drawings that identified constraints, something not previously documented)
• "thinking with things" or leaning by manipulating objects and concepts around objects (STEAM or STEM + Arts)
• create opportunities for researchers and practitioners to engage through meaningful activities
• create opportunities for B3D supports and firms that may not know much about B3D (e.g., engineering firm CH2M HILL, corporate supply chains)
• create a variety of incentives and motivators that recognize different levels of engagement
• include 'Speed Consulting' sessions mixing together problem owners with problem solvers
• identify existing initiatives/teams that could benefit from additional inter-disciplinary support

Aspirations

• advancing B3D methodologies, more realistic assessment of readiness and confidence in delivery tools/methods
• combining our sense of urgency with those of practitioners/businesspeople to drive action (what drives their sense of urgency?)
• better metrics and assessment tools (are we making an impact on issues relating to sustainability?), emphasis on local metrics
• deliver more community/industry/action research (address challenges 'in the wild')

Results

• an organization including members of research, education and practice communities that have an identity separate from the individuals (an early indicator may be OST groups that continue to remain together after the workshop)
• difference between outputs (means) and outcomes (ends, such as contributing to sustainability), importance of identifying and tracking feedback loops between the two
• workshops leading to greater teaming between disciplines and academic institutions
• body of information growing out of the B3D workshops (outputs such as papers and projects, outcomes) that can also be analyzed
• increased awareness and participation in existing initiatives (e.g., BioM Innovation Database)

Actions

• Ashok will talk to colleagues at Georgia Tech about organizing a B3D workshop
• build a proposal package/template for other academic institutions