Innovation Happens

Like many students, Grayson Allen initially struggled to find the “perfect fit” for his major. He reached out to family friends and his social network, and after hearing stories of their career paths, was inspired to select a new major and career where he could create solutions to help improve peoples’ lives. Originally an aerospace engineering major, Grayson changed his major to manufacturing engineering at the Polytechnic campus. Grayson and a friend Kevin Hale, a software engineer, had heard a tragic story of a child drowning in a pool…a tragedy that struck them as preventable, and their backgrounds would be perfectly suited for designing a new solution to help solve the problem. Leveraging the power of the program that would become Venture Devils, they launched their company Halen Smart and their first product, GATESENSE, a device which turns any gate into a “smart gate”. Join us as Grayson walks through the product viability process, the rollercoaster ride of creating a new venture, the importance of hav

Innovation isn’t always about science and technology. While many of us may only experience playing a musical instrument through Guitar Hero, a new trend across the nation is guitar ensembles – groups replicating orchestral pieces using only guitars to play all parts of the orchestra. In an era where the arts are being seen as less important than STEM, music programs are searching for new and creative ways to entice more people to pick up an instrument. Thomas Wheeler, a guitar performance and pedagogy master’s student at ASU, takes an innovative approach to crafting a guitar solo from one of the most complicated musical pieces of all time, known as The Planets. Thomas had a vision of transposing this piece early in his bachelor’s program, but realized he didn’t have the technical competency – he needed help from collaborators, mentors, and a deep immersion to craft a masterpiece. Learn from Thomas how passion, commitment and a never-give-up attitude propelled him to his final performance. Don’t forget to list

How do microplastics impact the ocean, wildlife, and the wellbeing of the overall planet? Learn from PhD student Charles Rolsky, who has fused his lifelong love of the ocean with the brainpower of the biosciences to create research programs dedicated to studying and remediating microplastic pollution in the world’s oceans. Charlie also shares his experiences – the good, the bad, and the funny - in becoming a public figure, from speaking at TedTalks to starring in an ASU commercial. In addition to describing the how ASU has enabled his innovation mindset, he highlights the importance of scientists being comfortable with also being storytellers, to build the bridge between the research community and the public.

Evvan Morton, a PhD candidate in Sustainable Engineering, has always been interested in using science to solve problems. With encouragement from teachers and mentors, she decided to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Women of color are under-represented in STEM fields, and going into a field where not many people look like you can make for a lonely experience. During a research project in Belize, Evvan realized the power of travel and working with diverse populations of people in providing opportunities for empathy and creating a broader sense of community and belonging. In order to provide opportunities to others, she co-founded BioGals, a nonprofit organization focused on the success of women of color in STEM fields through research and study abroad opportunities. Come learn how Evvan is transforming lives not only through her research efforts, but also by creating opportunities for other women to have their own transformative experiences.

We’re kicking off Season 3 of the podcast with a new cohost! Tune in as we learn about Sahel: her passion for diverse perspectives and storytelling, love of all things travel… and the 5 languages she speaks! We also review what innovation means to each of us, and highlight some of the amazing things we’ve learned through two full seasons of interviewing some of the innovative students we have at ASU. Whether you’re a new member of our audience or an avid listener, this episode is a great way to get (re)acquainted with the podcast and the team.Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, February 12, 2020.

In our final episode of Season 2, our guest is none other than our producer Maggie Dellow. Hear about her experience in launching the podcast, and what she has learned about innovation from our many amazing guests. Maggie and Jonah review some of the "myths" around innovation they uncovered during Seasons 1 and 2, and how the many guests on the show have debunked those myths and demonstrated the grit and resiliency inherent to the innovative mindset. We also review some of our favorite moments of the podcast so far. Best wishes to Maggie in her future endeavors...and stay tuned, Season 3 is right around the corner! Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Thursday, September 5, 2019.

When Michele Clark began looking into doctoral programs, she found a National Science Foundation grant that focused not only on the ecology of an area, but the human dimension, as well. She found at ASU an interdisciplinary team of demographers, soil ecologists, and governance, focused on invasive species research in Nepal, which inspired her to pursue a PhD in Environmental Life Sciences. Developing nations have fewer resources to counteract invasive species, but for whom the invasion can have devastating impacts on their quality of life. Invasive plants are non-native species that are either intentionally or unintentionally introduced to an ecology, and can cause detrimental impacts to the health of people living in the area, the economy, and the surrounding environment. Invasive species are like a plant-based horror movie: nearly indestructible aliens marching across the land, causing irreparable harm. Named by the Nepali people “tree killer”, the invasive vine, mikania micrantha, had done a shocking amoun

For students Anne-Marie Shaver (PhD in Musicology) and Hunter Langenhorst (undergraduate student in Music and Culture, and Spanish literature), music has long been an important part of life. The Acoustic Ecology Lab offers unique ways to embrace that passion. “Every single sound we hear has its sonic niche. Whether it’s the birds chirping, or the wind, or gravel creaking as people walk…every single sound has a frequency,” Hunter explains. “Losing that special frequency can give us hints about what is happening in the environment, and the ecology, in that place. Studying those sounds, or lack of sounds, is what the lab does.” Simply put, the Acoustic Ecology Lab is using sound to understand what is happening in our environments. Stemming from the pioneering work of Dr. Garth Paine in Acoustic Ecology, and with the help and vision of co-director Professor Sabine Feisst, the lab features an interdisciplinary team of computer scientists, engineers, music enthusiasts, and environmentalists. Learn about the lab’s

This ground-breaking magazine started humbly in 2016 by a small team with sponsorship by Dr. Amanda Tachine. The passion, drive and discipline of this multi-disciplinary team of students gives voice and presence to Native American and Indigenous students in a beautifully-designed, thought-filled and powerful medium. The team includes Sequoia Dance, a recent graduate of the Masters in Social & Cultural Pedagagy program; Taylor Notah, the Senior Editor of the magazine and recent graduate of the Cronkite School of Journalism; Danielle Lucero, a current PhD student in the Justice and Social Inquiry program; and Brian Skeet, a recent graduate with a degree in Industrial Design and Design Management from the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts. Turning Point highlights resources available to Native students, as well as student narratives that create a sense of belonging and community. The magazine highlights Native students on college campuses across the US – to bring forward resources, narratives, and

Native Phoenician James Cook, a mechanical engineering systems student, shares his experiences in a multi-year use-inspired research project. Through the GlobalResolve service abroad program at Barrett, the Honors College, students are able to engage in interdisciplinary projects focused on “bridging the global divide with sustainable and collaborative solutions”. For James, what started as simply meeting a mandatory course requirement turned into a 3-semester long passion project focused on finding sustainable, innovative ways to preserve fish for local fishermen in Indonesia. The research team created a solar-thermal, ammonia-based ice generator using cheap materials, allowing for fisherman to quickly freeze their fish to maintain freshness. Along the way, they partnered with an Indonesian university and made lifelong friends. Listen in as James shares stories of traveling the world, using humanitarian engineering to make a meaningful difference, and what living the innovation mindset means to him. Have you

Droplet is a research and design company focused on creating a platform that builds biodegradable microspheres for targeted drug delivery into a patient’s body. ASU biomedical engineering students Sheldon Cummings, Rex Moore, Byron Alarcon, and Levi Riley are working on the process for making these microspheres. The microspheres are one piece of the larger puzzle of targeted drug delivery, which has been baffling the medical field for years. Droplet was formed from the desire to engage in use-inspired research, which means research that has direct impact on people in the “real world”. Join us this week as we get a glimpse inside the world of sci-fi-level innovation, and how this group of students succeeded in building a research and development company by very strategically focusing on building solutions for one part of a much larger challenge. Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experie

The AmSO BodyFIT yoga mat was created as part passion project, part design challenge, and part desire to help others. Student Alicia Lim has always engaged in physical fitness, but struggled with finding her career path…until she realized the best way forward was to be true to herself. Combining her passion for physical health with her eye for design, she didn’t set out to be “innovative” – instead, she wanted to make yoga and physical fitness more accessible to people who may otherwise be intimidated. Join us as we follow Alicia on her path in taking an idea from concept to selling a product on Amazon. Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Thursday, July 4th, 2019.

Located on ASU’s Polytechnic Campus, Startup Village is a residential community where students can collaborate, innovate, and connect with other entrepreneurial students. In this episode of the podcast, ASU students Pooja Addla Hari, Maccoll Nicolson, Amirali Sabzehparvar, and Jared Hsu share their Startup Village experience as a place to not just learn about innovation, but live an innovative life in a community of like-minded individuals. Join us as we learn about each of their start-up ventures, the opportunities they’ve been able to take advantage of by living in Startup Village, and how this community has helped them overcome hurdles and leave a legacy for other students who want to startup their own ventures. Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Thursday, June 27, 2019.

The Help in Hand App provides teachers and families with academic and behavioral interventions to support students. This innovative app offers teachers targeted interventions on a student-by-student basis, to offer customized support at not only foundational and more advanced levels, but also those students with special education needs. While pursuing their doctoral degrees at the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Allison Atkins and Emerald Ochonogor were frustrated one night when reviewing an intervention guide for teachers. They asked themselves “What if there was an app for that?”…And the idea took off from there! Join them on their journey from idea conception, to Venture Devils application, to product launch, and more. Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, June 19, 2019.

More Than A Word is an ASU student-produced podcast that explores the words we use every day and the importance we assign to them. Each episode of Brad Biehl’s podcast brings a new guest who embodies a distinct word, providing them with a platform to share and be vulnerable. If you’re a fan of podcasts and interesting interviews, Biehl’s podcast, More Than A Word, is for you! You can find More Than A Word on all of your favorite podcast platforms. Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Thursday, June 6, 2019.

Have you ever been cut off while driving and really needed some angry music to help get you through your frustration? Have you ever searched relentlessly for the perfect romantic playlist to impress and important date? Mood might be the service for you! Mood is a music discovery and growth platform for emerging and underground musicians who want to connect personally with their fans. Listeners can discover new music tailored to four different moods: happy, sad, angry, and romantic. First listen to the Innovation Happens at ASU podcast to hear Will share Mood’s creation story. Then download Mood for yourself!Visit moodindustries.com to learn how you can download the Mood app before its public release!Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Monday, May 27, 2019.

How can augmented reality create a richer learning experience? Great minds at ASU are confronting that very question. 2ndLayerAR melds the virtual with the real world, designing and creating captivating multi-sensory experiences for local audiences. 2ndLayerAR works with museum exhibitors and curators to create another layer of engagement through downloadable applications and user-friendly products that enrich and heighten traditional learning.Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Thursday, May 16, 2019.

Do you know what blockchain is? Neither did we! Thankfully we had Raj and Arsh from ASU’s Blockchain Research Lab come in and tell us all about it (explaining it as you would to a 5-year-old always helps)! Listen to this episode of Innovation Happens to learn more about blockchain and the exciting work performed by ASU’s students in the Blockchain Research Lab. Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

Did you know that stone skipping is the oldest sport on Earth? ASU student entrepreneur, Jaron Lodge, is bringing back the sport’s former prominence through gamification, promoting competitions and even manufacturing the perfect stone. This is an episode you won’t want to skip!Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, April 24, 2019.

Improved Waste Systems aims to create intuitive recycling bins that effectively recycle electronic waste and prevent contamination. Through a new system design and improved education, the Improved Waste Systems team envisions large-scale impact at ASU and beyond. Hear their story on the Innovation Happens at ASU podcast!Have you downloaded the Sun Devil Rewards app? Each week we provide you with a "secret word" valid for 100 Pitchfork Points good for redeeming ASU gear and VIP experiences. This episode's Sun Devil Rewards "secret word" will expire at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.