We asked Tyler Charlebois and the COI Directors what innovation means to them.
Innovation in my view is the art or process of coming up with creative and elegant ideas, and converting existing inventions into practical solutions that can be used in everyday life.
Neal Mohammed Director, Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation (Barrett CTI)
Innovative thinking and practices extend beyond research activity alone, it is in our classrooms, our partnership and work integrated learning experiences and our relationships with our community. It’s a philosophy that is fundamental to the FSCS and Humber College.
June MacDonald-Jenkins Director, Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), Senior Dean, Faculty of Social and Community Services.
Innovation is taking invention all the way to delivering positive change. Innovation is reinventing something that already exists, reimagining it and its use to create value.
Tyler Charlebois Director, Centres of Innovation (COI) Network and Partnership Development
The only way to know ‘what is possible’ is to go beyond what exists today by exploring, discovering and experimenting ‘what can be’ and this is what innovation is all about—nudging and shifting mindsets, systems and processes to influence change for betterment of people and planet. Innovation is all around us in everything we do, be it developing new programs, scaling up, scaling out or integration of existing initiatives and at times, simply letting curiosity and creativity lead the path to find new answers to the complex problems.
Vanita Varma, PhD Director, Centre for Innovation in Health & Wellness (CIHW)
Innovation has many meanings and many definitions, depending on who you speak to or where you look. In my opinion, innovation creates value; it is a new way of thinking, a new way of doing things and having a fresh perspective. Innovation requires looking at things differently and creative thinking. Innovation generates positive impact on both businesses and consumers. Innovative endeavours make things better, result in improvements and propel change towards a new and positive direction.
Cheryl Mitchell Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE)
Future Possibilities + Applied Practice = Improved Communities
Jennifer Gordon Director, Centre for Creative Business Innovation (CCBI) & Humber Galleries
