IDEA Center - Edison Innovation Fellowship

Applications are Open for Fall 2024/Spring 2025!

Current University of Notre Dame PhD students in the College of Science and College of Engineering apply here.

About the IDEA Center - Edison Innovation Fellowship

IDEA Center will facilitate two graduate-level, 1-credit courses introducing the principles of generating impact from research innovations, entrepreneurship, and deep-tech commercialization to post-qualifying exam students pursuing their Ph.D. in the respective Colleges of Science and Engineering.

Through these courses-- EG 67501/SC 67501 Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Impact (to be offered Fall 2024) and EG 67502/SC 67502 Research into Action (to be offered Spring 2025), described below-- students will be exposed to areas of inquiry and interest not currently covered in their academic programs, and provided opportunities to

  • see their research project through a new lens

  • learn by doing

  • accelerate the impact of research innovations, and

  • foster their entrepreneurial spirit.

Each course will be offered as credit/no credit, with class meetings to occur weekly at the IDEA Center, during typical business hours, at a common time scheduled to accommodate participants' schedules. It is expected that selected participants will take and complete both courses in the program.

Of note, credit for EG 67502/SC 67502 requires the participant to deliver a "derisking plan" aimed at accelerating the implementation of a particular piece of technology or innovation, preferably one which the student has invented or created as part of their research project. To disclose a technology, please see the IDEA Center Website.

A cohort of 10 students (5 from Engineering, 5 from Science) will be selected to take part in these courses. Selected participants will be awarded the Edison Innovation Fellowship and a Spring Semester 2025 stipend of  $16,380.

Interested applicants are required to complete the application form below, uploading a one-page personal statement, highlighting their

  • academic, research, and innovation qualifications,

  • interest in the program and its relationship to their professional and research ambitions, and

  • the particular technology that they currently propose to be investigated in EG 67502/SC 67502.

The initial application is due 23 June

After an initial candidate screen, select applicants may be asked to take part in a brief one-way video interview during the week of 10 July to aid the selection team in their decision.

Finally, applicants will be required to obtain a statement of support for their participation in the program from their research advisor; a request for confirmation of support will be made once the application deadline has closed. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek approval from their research advisor prior to application.

Representatives from the respective Colleges, the Graduate School, and the IDEA Center will select participants from the applicant pool, with the announcement of the Fellows expected in early August 2024. Please see the timeline below for additional details on relevant deadlines.

Application and Selection Timeline:

Applications open-- 10 June

Applications close-- 23 June

Request for statement of support from faculty advisor sent-- 26 June

1-way video interview requests sent to select candidates-- 10 July

1-way video interview requests due-- 17 July

Statement of support from faculty advisor due-- 17 July

Fellowship notification-- Aug 1

Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Impact (Fall 2025)

This course introduces graduate students to the key aspects required to generate impact from research innovations, and the principles of entrepreneurship. The course includes units on lean practices, the entrepreneurial mindset, patents and intellectual property, and the evaluation and validation of novel technologies. The focus of this course is to provide students with a fundamental awareness of the process by which their research can reach stakeholders, solving problems and improving lives.

 Prerequisites: None. Selection as Edison Innovation Fellow required.

Learning Objectives:

  • At the conclusion of this course, it is anticipated that you will:

  • Demonstrate a working understanding of the principles of Lean methodologies.

  • Apply assessment criteria in evaluating the prospects for the impact of new technologies.

  • Begin to identify specific risks and assumptions associated with generating impact from primary research.

Questions about the class may be emailed to Emily Stoler (emily.stoler@nd.edu) and Steve Asiala (sasiala@nd.edu).

Research into Action (Spring 2025)

This course serves as an in-depth exploration of the process of derisking early-stage research technologies as they are developed for impactful applications. Units covered include hypothesis testing, customer discovery, technical development, and iterating toward a minimum viable product (MVP). The focus of the course is to equip graduate students with the requisite knowledge and tools to develop a derisking strategy for a piece of research technology in a “learn-by-doing” manner.

Prerequisites: EG 67501/SC 67501-- “ Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Impact”. Selection as Edison Innovation Fellow required.

Learning Objectives:

  • At the conclusion of this course, it is anticipated that you will:

  • Clearly identify assumptions and risks associated with generating impact from early-stage technologies.

  • Formulate hypotheses and identify appropriate tools for testing them.

  • Write and present a “derisking strategy” document for technological development, including aspects of technical, problem, and customer validation.

Questions about the class may be emailed to Emily Stoler (emily.stoler@nd.edu).

Past Student Testimonials

  • “What I love most about research is the hope that my work will have a real and tangible impact on the world. The Edison Innovation Fellowship seemed like the perfect opportunity to fuel this hope.”

  • “I've gained invaluable insights into the conversion of laboratory-scale research into market-viable solutions.”

  • “My primary takeaway from this program is that excellent benchtop research and securing intellectual protection are baby steps… for creating market-viable solutions.”

  • “The Edison program has been the most thorough and in-depth professional development opportunity I have participated in at Notre Dame.”

For Additional Information

Questions about the Edison Innovation Fellowship may be emailed to Emily Stoler (emily.stoler@nd.edu) and Steve Asiala (sasiala@nd.edu).

 For more information about the IDEA Center and/or resources available to students please visit the IDEA Center About page and the Student Entrepreneurship page.