Inspiration can come at any time. One evening, Jessica Jackley went to hear Mohammed Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank and modern microfinance, who was giving a talk at her business school. He spoke about the power of microcredit to change lives and help people with little money but big hopes become entrepreneurs. Excited by… Continue reading How to Test Drive Your Social Impact Idea
Category: Technology and Society
Work is Changing:
Why Some Grads Seek New Directions Maya Collins did everything “right.” She majored in biomedical engineering at a respected university, graduated with a 3.7 GPA. During college, she completed two co-op internships. One was at a healthcare startup, and she also did another in her university research lab. Her professors called her “resourceful” and “tenacious.”… Continue reading Work is Changing:
Teen Inventor Changes Lives:
How Siddarth Nandyala’s STEM Innovations Bring Second Chances From a chance meeting in India to global impact, Siddarth Nandyala is inventing a better future. Have you ever met someone limited in life because they couldn’t afford something essential? During a family trip to India, thirteen-year-old Siddarth Nandyala met a boy about his age who was… Continue reading Teen Inventor Changes Lives:
From Frost-Forming Bacteria to Off-Grid Refrigeration:
Nature’s Cool Solution In our last post, we examined how Antarctic fish survive freezing waters using antifreeze proteins, which prevent ice formation in their bodies. But what about the opposite case? What if we could make water freeze more easily at slightly warmer temperatures, using less energy? Isabel Pulido solved that puzzle after experiencing firsthand… Continue reading From Frost-Forming Bacteria to Off-Grid Refrigeration:
Ice is Cool!
How Water Freezes (and Why It Matters) Ice—Simple Yet Strange Ever wondered why ice cubes float or why sidewalks become slippery when they’re covered in frost? Ice might seem ordinary, but it’s packed with fascinating mysteries. In our recent post, we introduced Isabel Pulido’s groundbreaking invention, NanoFreeze, which uses special proteins to freeze water at… Continue reading Ice is Cool!
Colder Ice:
Isabel Pulido’s Cool Innovation One afternoon in rural Colombia, Isabel Pulido watched a mother throw away half-eaten beans and rice. The family had no refrigerator—not because they couldn’t afford one, but because they had no reliable electricity. “I realized then that the biggest problem wasn’t just access to power,” Pulido recalls. “It was about food… Continue reading Colder Ice:
Sal Khan Says AI Will Transform Education:
We Should Listen As a classroom teacher, I’ve been waiting for the moment Sal Khan describes in his new book “Brave New Words.” Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, shows how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) might finally solve one of education’s most persistent challenges: providing personalized learning experiences for each student. It sure would have… Continue reading Sal Khan Says AI Will Transform Education:
Preparing for an AI-Augmented Future:
Beyond the Classroom “O brave new world that has such technologies in it.” In November 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT 3.5, significantly changing how students and the public engage with AI technology. This powerful GenAI chatbot technology opened new avenues for learning and interaction, allowing access to information and assistance like never before. GenAI, or Generative… Continue reading Preparing for an AI-Augmented Future:
When Robots Meet Reality:
Lessons from the “Confused” Waymo Taxis of San Francisco For weeks, Randol White dealt with a persistent and annoying problem right outside his San Francisco condo. His building overlooks an open-air parking lot that Waymo recently leased to store its vehicles. He and other residents were repeatedly roused at 4 a.m. by honking car horns.… Continue reading When Robots Meet Reality:
Heman Bekele and his Skin Cancer Fighting Soap
“The average price of skin cancer treatment in the U.S. is almost $40,000, but my bar of soap only costs $8.50 to create, and it can replicate the same effects as something that people pay thousands and thousands of dollars for.” Heman Bekele, a 14-year-old ninth grader from W.T. Woodson High School in Annandale, Virginia,… Continue reading Heman Bekele and his Skin Cancer Fighting Soap