Scaling Innovation Across a University of 47,000 Students with Dr. Ramanan Krishnamoorti

Timecoded Guide:

[00:00] Podcast begins - Scaling Innovation Across a University of 47,000 Students

[04:34] Noticing gaps in technology & engineering in higher education 

[11:56] Improving skills-related learning with micro credentialing 

[17:29] Experimenting with startups, patents, & products at UH Tech Bridge

[27:14] Inspiring entrepreneurship experiences for all U of H students

[35:48] Forging a future of education innovation & creative problem solving 

Where do you think higher education has struggled in providing solutions for both students and the broader public?

Ramanan is quick to admit that many professionals in higher education like to talk more than listen, even in the innovation-focused classrooms of U of H. The best things happen in education, Ramanan explains, when universities are willing to listen and to act. Listening to the outside world shows universities like U of H where the gaps are in their education and their resources, and doing or acting upon what they’ve learned allows for unique innovations to arise, like the UH Tech Bridge and the upcoming maker’s spaces at U of H. 

“The best things happen when higher ed folks do one of two things. They listen, listen carefully to when the outside public says, ‘This is where we need you to put your thinking hats on and deliver.’ And the second is where we learn how to do rather than just talk.”

Where does the UH Tech Bridge fit into U of H’s future?  

Located right on the UH campus, the Tech Bridge (or UH Technology Bridge) combines the work of students, faculty, startups, and local industrial companies in one collaborative space. Ramanan sees the Tech Bridge as an experiment and expansion of what U of H does best: creating solutions for challenging problems. Thanks to partnerships with companies like Underwriters Labs and patents from U of H’s faculty labs, the Tech Bridge is blossoming with opportunities for students and startups to get hands-on experience with next level tech. 

“When you start thinking about innovation, we’ve got to innovate across the whole spectrum. It's not just creating new companies, we have to think about methodology. How do we teach better? How do we reach our public better? How do we reach our students better?” 

How do you foster innovation and expand entrepreneurship beyond the Tech Bridge? 

The students that get to use the Tech Bridge and other existing entrepreneurship hubs are just a small portion of the over 47,000 students being taught at U of H on an annual basis. Ramanan explains that this represents a huge opportunity to expand access across courses and majors to encourage students of all areas of study to learn more about the importance of innovation. One of the ways Ramanan hopes to do that is through creating more centralized, open spaces for students to collaborate together. 

“The Wolfe Center for Entrepreneurship has 40 students each year. I want to put those numbers in the context of the University of Houston. We teach 47,000 students on an annual basis. How many of those kids actually get training in innovation and entrepreneurship?”

How is the University of Houston forging the future of innovation? 

The future looks bright for U of H, especially as the UH Tech Bridge becomes less of a “best kept secret” and more of a cornerstone of Houston’s tech ecosystem. According to Ramanan, University of Houston has the unique opportunity to redefine innovation for their students and encourage them to find solutions for broader societal problems. Between projects like the UH Tech Bridge and continued innovation in their education programs, Ramanan says that he’s excited to connect the Houston ecosystem and U of H students more than ever before.

“Houston is part of our ecosystem. This is where we take on hard challenges. We don't do them because they're easy to do, we do them because they're hard. How do we connect our students and faculty to the biggest challenges this ecosystem has?”