Vancouver is a hotbed for innovative ideas, accelerators, start-ups, incubators, urban renewal projects, and everything in between. For a full week, SFU Public Square will explore the concept of Innovation, asking tough questions throughout their 2014 Community Summit – Innovation: The Shock of the Possible.
With so many events taking place across the Lower Mainland, we picked five highlights you won’t want to miss during the summit, which runs from October 19-24.
1. Young Innovators Crawl – October 19 – 12–5pm
On Sunday, meet some of the brightest young minds in the city at the Young Innovators Crawl. Designed for innovators 30 and under, this event invites the public to explore workshops in creative hubs and studios across Vancouver, with informal talks, pop-up exhibitions, and dialogue sessions. The event features an online interactive map and chances to win tickets to an after party at Fortune Sound Club with local celebrity guests.
2. RISE Ideas Competition – October 19 – 12pm-5pm
Freaked out by reports that the ocean that surrounds our Metro Vancouver communities will rise by 1-metre by 2100? You aren’t alone, which is why this ideas competition will have some of Vancouver’s top minds competing for $75,000 in prizes to address the issue. Online voting is open NOW support your favourite innovative idea that addresses sea level rise. Vote at www.sfu.ca/rise.
3. Will Innovation Save Us? – October 22 – 7pm
The summit’s big night at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre features the man Forbes magazine called “the ultimate thinking machine,” Google’s Director of Engineering Ray Kurzweil. He’ll be discussing the pros and cons of innovation alongside acclaimed urban theorist Richard Florida and CBC host Amanda Lang.
4. Open Textbooks – October 23 – 1pm
If you’ve taken a course at college or university, you won’t be shocked to know that students spend roughly $1,000 on books per year! Celebrating Open Access week, the SFU Library is taking a look at open textbooks and how better to incorporate their use in the classroom.
5. Zero Waste – October 20 – 8am
How do we make Vancouver more sustainable and support the Circular Economy? SFU’s award-winning Sustainability Office opens the floor to local experts and the public to challenge the current system, and explore innovations in product and packaging design that will reduce the amount of junk in our landfills.
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