Spark Summit Ignites Ideas for Community Building

MIT just set a national precedent by hosting the Spark Summit, the first informed innovation workshop focused on community-defined technology.

Nearly 40 individuals, including leaders from the high-tech industry, MIT faculty and students, and community organizers, assembled at the MIT Faculty Club to talk about a community-inclusive approach to technology design on June 12th, 2004. Betsy Campbell, Director of Start-up Initiatives for Community Innovation Lab, organized the event which was co-sponsored by MIT's Center for Reflective Community Practice and the Waitt Institute.

"We brought together a cross-boundary group to explore the dynamics of sustained collaboration with communities driving the design of technologies for social change," said Dr. Ceasar McDowell, Director of the Center for Reflective Community Practice and a founder of the CI Lab. "Nobody's ever done that before. This event laid the foundation for the future."

The event explored how engineers and community leaders can work together to develop technologies that address urban issues. "Our hope is that this forum gives community organizers the ability to translate their technology concepts into robust products," said Campbell. "MIT has long provided opportunities for students and faculty to work with companies to invent technologies and entire industries. The Spark Summit marks the beginning of a new kind of innovation dialogue that can positively impact the well-being of communities in need."

The dialogue that began at the Spark Summit is continuing in blogs and online discussion groups. In this regard, the event's success even exceeded expectations. "Many of the participants indicated that the Spark Summit was a long-awaited chance to discuss new technologies for community purposes with people from complementary areas of expertise," said Campbell who will organize a national competition for community-driven innovations in the Fall, another first for MIT.

About the MIT Community Innovation Lab

The CI Lab serves as a catalyst for innovation by supporting collaboration across the traditional boundaries of the communities in transition, the high tech industry and MIT students and faculty. Through its initiatives in education and its relationships with community organizers and technical visionaries, the CI Lab empowers leaders of many kinds to respond to community-driven concerns with relevant technologies.

More information on the CI Lab can be found at cilab.mit.edu, 617.324.0208 or crcp_cilab@mit.edu.