OPEN Annual Conference 2021 | VentureWell | 17 March 2021 | Virtual

OPEN 2021 will bring together educators, students, and change makers across the science & technology innovation and entrepreneurship education sphere to learn emerging best practices and forge new relationships in the field. At OPEN, you’ll gain practical tools to apply in your own class or program and collaborate meaningfully with other attendees during immersive sessions.

OPEN 2021 will go beyond simply broadcasting content sessions —this year’s convening will feature session formats adapted to provide maximum engagement in a virtualized environment, allowing you to learn, share ideas, and engage in deep discussion.

In a year when faculty, staff, and administrators have had to adapt like never before to continue meeting students’ needs, we are looking forward to bringing our community together again.

When you register, you’ll have access dozens of interactive, online sessions on the most pressing topics in innovation and entrepreneurship education like:

• Engaging and supporting underrepresented student innovators
• Proven practices for teaching I&E
• Growing your on-campus entrepreneurial ecosystem
• Environmental and social sustainability
• Strategies for teaching and supporting students during the pandemic
• Entrepreneurial mindset, and more!

2021 Speakers

SUSTAINABILITY KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Erin Meezan
Chief Sustainability Officer, Interface, Inc.

SPEAKERS:

Athena Panton
Communications Coordinator, Venture Lab

Christina Tamer
Senior Program Officer, VentureWell

Todd Hargroder

Nick Sinagra
Chief Executive Officer, Able IT Pros

Diana Valdes

Tiffany Wang
Product Development Lead, Viberent, Inc.

Heather Metcalf
Director of Research and Constituent Relations, WEPAN

Shannon Gilmartin

Erin Kelley

Stephanie Larson

Christopher Murphy

Lauren Dunning
Sr. Program Manager, Arizona State University

Raja Schaar
Co-Chair, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council, Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA)

Chris Baeza

Wouter Deconinck
Associate Professor, University of Manitoba

Crystal Bailey

Aaron Newman

Robbie Nock

Beth Ferguson

Shaheen Mamawala
Senior Development Officer, Venturewell

Kristen Golden

Andrea Gobin

Theresa Mkandawire
Associate Professor, University of Malawi, The Polytechnic

Oluwatoyin Popoola

Tania Douglas

Cindy Cooper
Program Officer, The Lemelson Foundation

Rich G. Carter
Professor of Chemistry and Faculty Lead for Innovation Excellence, Oregon State University

Almesha L. Campbell
Assistant Vice President for Research & Economic Development, Jackson State University

Thomas Katona

Joe Tranquillo

Sarah Zappe

Stephanie Cutler

John-David Yoder
Nik Rokop
Happy Ghosh

John Gershenson

Khanjan Mehta

Pritpal Singh

Briana Stenard
Assistant Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship, Mercer University - Stetson School of Business and Economics

John Stenard

Cathy Bodine

Jordana Maisel

Robin Bagent

Dan Suhr

Emma Fleck
Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Chair of the Management and Marketing Department, Susquehanna University

Alexandros Kakouris
Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship Education, University of Peloponnese

Juha Saukkonen

Denise DeLuca
Director, Sustainable Design Program, Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Matthew Wettergreen

Julia Jenjezwa

Stephen Sprigle

David L. Jaffe

Tanya Nocera

Rob Stevens
Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology

Sarah Brownell

Marcos Esterman

Ann Howard

PRESENTERS:

Lauren Gase

Jelani Odlum
Program Manager, Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property

2021 Partners

• The Lemelson Foundation
• IMPACT
• Morgan Foundation
• The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property
• Lubar Entrepeneurship Center
• Ask Nature