Spring 2025 | Tulane Innovation Institute and CELT host Entrepreneur Faculty Development Course (Re)Design Summer Institute
Tulane faculty from across disciplines gathered for a four-day summer institute designed to reimagine how entrepreneurship could be woven into their teaching. Hosted by the Tulane Innovation Institute in partnership with CELT, the program offered a mix of hands-on sessions, interactive workshops, and collaborative learning, creating a space for educators to step outside their usual routines and rethink the classroom experience.
Dr. Eric Liguori, Full Professor and Associate Dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University, led the workshop from May 12-15. A nationally recognized voice in entrepreneurship education, Liguori brought deep expertise and a strong academic foundation to the program. His leadership roles include Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Small Business Management, Chair of AACSB’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Affinity Group, Senior Editor for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Cogent Business and Management, and Executive Editor Emeritus of Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy.
Alongside Jessica Vattima, Director of the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Rowan University, Liguori helped participants think critically and creatively about how to integrate entrepreneurial thinking into their courses.
Guest speakers added real-world and local context to the discussion. Tim Williamson, Founder and CEO of NieuxCo and the founder of The Idea Village, spoke about launching ventures rooted in New Orleans' unique culture. Evie Poitevent Sanders, Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at GNO, Inc., emphasized the value of connections in the broader regional ecosystem. Claire Smith, Founder and CEO of Hilight, shared candid insights from her entrepreneurial journey.
By the end of the week, each faculty member was tasked with redesigning or building a syllabus centered on entrepreneurship, ready to bring new energy into their Tulane University classrooms and help students think more creatively and employ an entrepreneurial mindset in their studies and future career paths.
Fall 2024: Tulane University Innovation Institute supports innovation in the classroom with the inaugural Faculty Innovation Grants
In the fall of 2024, Tulane University students can engage in innovative learning through courses designed to integrate creativity and practical problem-solving into their studies. These courses include opportunities to use robotic 3D clay printers for climate change adaptation in the new Tulane Digital Ceramics Lab and leverage the Tulane Film Festival as a case study for entrepreneurial ventures.
The Tulane University Innovation Institute (TUII) leads this movement with the newly introduced Faculty Innovation Grants. These grants were designed to promote innovation and entrepreneurship within the curriculum at all ten Tulane schools. Each grant provides up to $2,500 for faculty members who applied in the spring of 2024. The Tulane Innovation Institute Faculty Innovation Council, composed of faculty experts and innovators, reviewed the grant applications and selected the grant awardees.
The Faculty Innovation Council will also work with TUII to develop workshops and offer faculty development grants in FY25, in partnership with the Center for Engaged Learning & Technology (CELT), to support faculty interests in innovation and entrepreneurship best practices. This initiative is part of a broader effort to deepen an innovation mindset with traditional academic frameworks.
Faculty Innovation Grant classes will be offered across six Tulane schools. Notably, Rob Lalka, of the A.B Freeman School and author of the recently released book "The Venture Alchemists: How Big Tech Turned Profits into Power," will collaborate with Matthew Escarra of the School of Science and Engineering and a recent Tulane Innovation Institute Proof of Concept awardee for his groundbreaking solar technology, to teach a course on ethical technology practices. The "Tech Ethics" course will explore strategies for mitigating the risks associated with technological advancements.
“We are excited to partner with faculty in the classroom on these inaugural innovation grants,” said Kimberly Gramm, Tulane Innovation Institute David and Marion Mussafer Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer. “These grants empower our faculty to offer forward-looking learning experiences to equip our students to become the innovators of tomorrow.”
The Tulane Innovation Institute proudly announces the recipients of these inaugural grants and their respective courses:
• Alissa Bilfield, A.B. Freeman School of Business: Social Venturing for a Sustainable Future
• Matthew Escarra and Rob Lalka, School of Science and Engineering and Freeman School of Business: Tech Ethics
• Saad Hassan, School of Science and Engineering: Human-Computer Interaction
• Amanda Hill and Evan Nicoll, School of Liberal Arts: The Mythology and Reality of Leadership
• Adam Marcus, School of Architecture: Ecological Tectonics: Ceramic Assemblies for Climate Adaptation
• Muira McCammon, School of Liberal Arts with Courtesy Appointment in Tulane Law: Emerging Technologies & Internet Law
• Jolene Pinder, School of Liberal Arts: Film Festivals
• Richard Priore, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine: Managerial Economics for Public Health Leaders
• Andrew Ward, School of Liberal Arts: Introduction to International Development
The Faculty Innovation Grant initiative underscores the Tulane Innovation Institute's dedication to advancing an entrepreneurial spirit and innovative outlook across the university. To learn more about the Tulane Innovation Institute’s upcoming programs and opportunities, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
