Student-led initiatives at UC Berkeley

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Thomas Kalil <tkalil () berkeley edu>
Date: December 15, 2006 4:48:24 AM JST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Student-led initiatives at UC Berkeley

Dear Dave:



Last year, I started a program at UC Berkeley called “Big Ideas” to  
provide small grants to

student-led initiatives, such as clubs, project-oriented courses,  
competitions,

field work, and greater student involvement in shaping future  
research, education,

and service activities.  I’ve discovered that students are capable of  
getting an amazing amount

done with very modest resources, and that these student-led  
activities can often serve as “seedlings”

for much larger activities.



In addition to funding, I am connecting students with people on or  
off campus that might

be able to help them, and also giving them some pointers on how to  
have influence without

authority.



Students are beginning to propose not just summer projects, but new  
courses,

certificate programs, and interdisciplinary research centers.  These  
projects are in a broad

range of areas, including commercialization of clean energy  
technologies, science policy,

using geospatial information systems to fight the spread of malaria,  
bringing

safe drinking water to the slums of Mumbai, where the dysentery rate  
is 80 percent,

and providing healthcare services to the homeless.



This week – I am unveiling an online marketplace to help Berkeley  
students with great ideas

for projects attract volunteers, mentors, money, and in-kind  
contributions.



The longer term goal is to create a replicable model for tapping the  
creativity,

energy, and idealism of young people, particularly at research  
universities,

to address the “grand challenges” of the 21st century.



See http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2006/12/13_ideas.shtml

for the press release.



http://bigideas.berkeley.edu for the site



http://contest.berkeley.edu for the $100K annual, campus-wide  
competition that helps identify

interesting and high-impact student ideas



I’d welcome help and participation from interesting people readers on  
all aspects of

“Big Ideas,” – including support for individual projects, ideas for  
future competitions.

and ideas for the future evolution of the “Big Ideas” marketplace.



Thanks!



Tom Kalil

tkalil () berkeley edu





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