Physics Student Innovators (*and Alumni)

This is the development website for the student organization called PSI*, conceived years earlier and launched formally in September 2016 at the University of Colorado Denver and Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Purpose

The purpose of Psi* is to bring physics students’ inventiveness to fruition through material and creative support; to foster employer, investor, and community awareness of the potential for innovation by physics students in the service of human needs; and to engage physics alumni to use their experience to aid student innovators.

Participants

The core of Psi* will consist of undergraduate physics majors and physics graduate students exploring wider career options. However, Psi* will be broadly inclusive, attracting physics minors and non-majors taking physics courses, pre-college students exposed to physics in or before high-school, and adult learners who are curious about the practical applications of physics. Physics alumni within industry, government labs, and universities will be sought as mentors and co-participants in physics-enabled innovation.

Concept essays

In order to better define the relationship of physics to innovation, the following essays explore some of the ideas.

• What does it mean to be a physics student innovator?

  • (more coming)

Key activities

ACTIVE STUDENT INNOVATION

1. Excite interest in physics as a source of innovation.

2. Jump-start and support physics students as innovators.

3. Engage alumni as experts, mentors, sponsors and co-inventors.

4. Incubate physics student ventures.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

1. Provide a supporting physical infrastructure.

2. Provide a supporting computational infrastructure.

3. Develop and manage websites and internet-based resources.

4. Create and support media production facilities.

KNOWLEDGE

1. Foster technical competencies & achievements.

2. Develop business know-how.

3. Cultivate understanding of human needs, desires, and circumstances.

4. Manage and disseminate knowledge assets.

ORGANIZATIONAL ECOSYSTEM

1. Connect with employers, investors, business development centers, and professional societies.

2. Integrate programs with the community.

3. Obtain and manage funding.

4. Ensure diversity, integrity, openness, and safety.

Further information

Charter and Organization

Innovation Hyperlab

Technical Competencies

Business Competencies

Bibliography

Acknowledgement

Development of the PSIstar concept and early implementation as a student organization at the University of Colorado Denver was funded in part by the National Science Foundation IUSE program under grant DUE-1624938. This grant was part of the PIPELINE network of collaborating institutions working to foster learning and experiences combining physics, innovation, and entrepreneurship.