About the Office of Innovation

At ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ, innovation is integrated in the design of everything we do. Innovation is about responding to change in a creative way, and at ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ, you can see evidence of an innovative mindset across all programs — undergraduate and graduate. The Office of Innovation is the champion and standard-bearer for innovation at ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ.

Join Our Community of Innovators

In the P.D. Merrill Makerspace and across campus, the Office of Innovation team partners with students, faculty, and professional staff from virtually every unit at the University.

We foster innovative, creative solutions to real-world problems, sponsor programs, and special events, and act as a nexus between the ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ community and expert professional mentors from leading businesses and organizations across the region.

We also serve as innovation consultants to faculty and professional staff who want to bring creative change to their own programs.
 

Mission

We inspire, equip and prepare people to be innovators, solving real-world problems through technology, design thinking, experiential learning and multi-disciplinary collaboration. 

Vision

People at ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ are fearless innovators, with the skills needed to bring original ideas and positive change to whatever field they are in. 

Values

We:

  • Encourage experimentation and failure 
  • Provide a welcoming, diverse and inclusive environment
  • Empower students to lead as much as possible
  • Teach and practice empathy 
  • Are optimistic and collaborative
  • Promote the use of technology as an essential skill
     
Programs
Explore our innovation programs
Makerspace
Visit the P.D. Merrill Makerspace
Events
Be a part of our events
A student speaks on stage at an Innovation Challenge event
U N E students work with drones as part of their innovation project
Two students work together on a project
Two students from the innovation team discuss measurements of a project written out on a whiteboard
Three students review a product they've created together as part of the Makerspace

Key Innovation Principles at ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ

Open to Anyone

We partner with students, faculty, and professional staff from virtually every unit at the University. In our Makerspace, you’ll find graduate and undergraduate students from different disciplines, working on projects to bring positive change. This welcoming environment creates a community that gives students a sense of belonging on campus. We also serve as internal consultants to units across the university, supporting faculty and staff in their innovation initiatives. We cultivate an open, inclusive, collaborative culture, with a focus on having fun.

Real-World Experiences

Many students come to college with energy and passion to make a difference. Our innovation programs give them the tools they need to make visible, positive change happen. We put a priority on giving students the opportunity to work on real-world projects in areas that they care about. As a result, students feel connected and empowered to work through obstacles and persevere. We teach them to rethink ‘failures’ as learning experiences. Our students have made a tangible, visible difference both on and off campus in fields as diverse as healthcare, education, student life, and marine science.