the Wond'ry

What happens when creativity, collaboration, and innovation take root? A whimsical interactive tree comes to life at the Susan Gray School, thanks to the talented students at Vanderbilt! Through the Wond’ry, this incredible team blended engineering and artistry to create a playful, engaging space for young learners. Check out the full story on how this project grew from concept to reality. https://lnkd.in/eqncQWHM #Innovation #Collaboration #theWondry #DesignThinking Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University School of Engineering

Dear Wond’ry participants, mentors, enthusiasts, supporters, For the last eight years, the Wond’ry has excelled at helping the Vanderbilt community turn ideas into realities. Its faculty, staff and state-of-the-art facilities offer unmatched support by training students in design thinking, innovation, rapid prototyping and concept development. And now, the Wond’ry enters a new era of disruptive thinking and innovation as Vanderbilt University has announced plans to move the Wond’ry within the School of Engineering. Rest assured, students from across the university will continue to find robust support for refining ideas at the Wond’ry. With its core strengths in innovation, ideation, human-centered design and maker activities, including prototyping and product development, Engineering is a natural alignment that will allow us to sharpen what we do best and reach more students in the process. Understandably, this move necessitates some organizational changes, and we thank you in advance for your support. We look forward to sharing more details as they become available, and as always, it is our great pleasure to be your partner in bringing ideas to life. David A. Owens, PhD Evans Family Executive Director of the Wond’ry.

The 2nd Mid-South Hub SXSW Immersive Cohort has been working hard and thriving in Austin. This group of 33 innovators—spanning 7+ universities and representing undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni—has been diving into a week of customer discovery, mentorship, and industry connections at the intersection of creativity and technology. You’ll find them exploring SXSW, refining their innovations, and networking at events. If you’re here, come say hi and connect with some of the brightest minds shaping the future! #SXSW #Innovation #MidSouthHub NSF I-Corps Hub: Mid-South SXSW Vanderbilt University

ReMinded was honored to join the Global Health Innovators Spotlight panel at the Frontiers Summit 2025 by Phase Capital last week in Nashville, Tennessee. Change is driven by bold actions, and Annika, Adil, and Sanjida are actively pushing the boundaries of what's possible with saliva-based cortisol sensors this year. A huge thank you to the Wond'ry at Vanderbilt University and the Nashville community for warmly welcoming our CEO once again. #HealthInnovation #BreakingBarriers #ReMinded2025 Photo credit: Megan Cole

We’re excited to share that?Jaclyn Mothupi, MS, PEM, LEED AP, Director of Social Innovation at The Wond’ry, has been selected as part of the inaugural?Ecosystem Futures Fellowship?cohort! Representing?Vanderbilt University & Meharry Medical College?alongside?Evelina Naish, they’re focused on a bold vision: Better Together: Accelerating Sustainable Technology Commercialization Through Inter-Institutional Collaboration. Over the next year, Jaclyn and the full cohort of 26 leaders from 18 institutions will work to strengthen?STEM innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E)?in higher education, advancing new models of venture development through partnerships across academia, government, and industry. Thank you to?The Lemelson Foundation?and?VentureWell?for supporting this important work driving the future of innovation. Meet the full cohort and learn more:?https://bit.ly/3QKF8g8 #EcosystemFuturesFellowship #InnovationLeadership #STEM #Entrepreneurship

Vanderbilt AI Days 2025 is just one week away! (only 50 spots left) This university-wide event (March 5-6) brings together faculty, students, staff, and industry partners to explore cutting-edge AI research, applications, and educational approaches. With only about 50 in-person seats remaining, we encourage you to register soon to secure your spot. Event Highlights: -Opening address by Provost Cybele Raver -Four specialized tracks: Research & Applications, Teaching & Education, Technical Skills & Training, and Industry & Professional Development -Sessions exploring implications of this week's breakthrough frontier AI model release -Featured speakers including Ben Hunt (EpsilonTheory CEO), Curtis Northcutt (Cleancut CEO), Jules White, Charreau Bell, and Jesse Spencer-Smith -AI Showcase and Reception featuring innovative projects and networking opportunities -Sponsorship from Oracle, HP, and Lenovo This is a unique opportunity to enhance your AI skills, connect with experts across disciplines, and discover new applications relevant to your work or studies. Register now:?https://lnkd.in/e-Rad8iC

A huge thank you to?Zinnie Zhang?for sharing her founder journey with us at her fireside chat! From her past experiences, to founding?Enttor,?and hearing how she made the decision to drop out of Harvard Law, Zinnie’s insights on startups, fundraising, and conviction were inspiring for attendees. We’re grateful to?AKPsi?for hosting this event, as well as everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion. We hope you left with new perspectives, connections, and maybe even some inspiration for your own entrepreneurial journey. Vanderbilt University Charleson Bell #entrepreneurship #foundertalk

Congrats to the 1st place winners of the Green-A-Thon, Vanderbilt Green Fund’s annual pitch competition. Students with ideas to improve sustainability on campus were given an opportunity to propose green initiatives and compete for a share of the $150,000 Green Fund, which finances these student-led projects. The winning team presented “Plastic-Free Laundry Detergent Sheet Refill Stations,” and was developed by Junior Layne Foeder as well as seniors Ellie Crone and Jeremy Tallon. Click here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/eMCMD-4X Vanderbilt University The Vanderbilt Hustler #sustainability #innovation

The Climate Innovation Accelerator (CIA) has kicked off its 3rd cohort! This cohort includes 5 clients with teams of students and mentors, ideating innovative opportunities for climate related change within Nashville based non-profits and small businesses. In the first 2 weeks of the program students met their clients, learnt about working with community and effective communication through interactive activities. Teams focused on how to draw out insights from community interviews and why these insights are instrumental for the design process. For the remaining 8 weeks students will be taken through the Design Thinking process and encouraged to ideate within a collaborative team to identify an opportunity that has positive social and environmental impact.

Basic models of an electric wheelchair can cost thousands of dollars, making mobility a financial burden for many individuals. But?Ferhan Jemal, a third-year Vanderbilt University student majoring in engineering science, is working to change that reality. His company, Motus Drive, is developing an innovative conversion kit that allows users to transform manual wheelchairs into motorized ones—at a fraction of the cost. Click here to read more: https://lnkd.in/eN2Hs8TK Ferhan Jemal Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University School of Engineering Motus Drive #innovation #entrepreneurs #nashville