Fellow – Page 2 – Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity

September 16, 2021February 16, 2022

Benjamin J. Vann, Hunt Institute Fellow

As a Fellow in the Hunt Institute, Benjamin J. Vann brings his expertise in finance, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and impact investing, combined with deep grass root social sector experience in community organizing, civic engagement, economic empowerment, and non-profit governance. Benjamin is the Founder and CEO of Impact Ventures, a startup accelerator with a mission to eliminate the social and economic barriers for underrepresented Women and Minority Entrepreneurs launching high growth, tech or tech-enabled businesses and social enterprises. He is also a member of the Leadership Council for the Inclusive Economy Consortium.

Benjamin is the Founder and Managing Partner at the Inclusive Capital Fund (ICF), an impact-first investment fund focused on economic justice. ICF uses integrated capital to improve access, opportunity, and outcomes across LMI communities and diverse entrepreneurs both locally and abroad. Previously, he worked as Finance Manager at Good Returns Group, a global social enterprise startup working to transform corporate philanthropy through impact investing and micro-lending. He worked as the North Texas Philanthropy Officer at The Trust for Public Land, Fundraising Associate at Fidelity Charitable, managing the worlds largest Donor Advised Fund, spent time as a Financial Analyst at Fidelity Investments, and various roles in Banking prior to relocating to Texas.

Benjamin has been recognized both locally and nationally as a results-oriented change maker and thought leader for his business insight, strategy, collaborative cross-sector approach, and unique skillset to create innovative business models, initiatives, and solutions that positively impact communities. He speaks frequently to audiences on topics surrounding conscious capitalism, building inclusive entrepreneur ecosystems, impact investing/venture capital, inclusive leadership, social entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and more. He is a 2020 Boston Impact Initiative Fund Building Fellow, 2018 World Economic Forum Global Shaper Fellow, Partner at Dallas Social Venture Partners, Dana Juett Social Venture Resident, and 2015 Mayor’s Star Council Alumni.

When asked what motivates Benjamin to do impact work he answered, “Genius is evenly distributed across zip codes however access and opportunity are not” As change agents we are motivated to unlock resources that create access and opportunities for others. This is my why.”

As a dedicated servant leader, Benjamin currently serves as an executive board member for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Dallas Chapter and The Dallas Foundations Good Works Under 40 Selection Committee. He previously served as a City of Dallas appointee to the South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund, South Dallas Fair Park TIF Board, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, Anthem Strong Families, DISD Innovation Design Entrepreneurship Academy (IDEA), and Aspire — Fidelity Investment Regional African-American and Latino Employee Resource Group. In 2015, he launched the Dallas County Civic Alliance, a citywide Get Out The Vote initiative that resulted in registering over 10,000 residents in Dallas County. He is also a member, volunteer and supporter of the DFW Urban League Young Professionals, NSBE DFW, and The NAACP Dallas Chapter.

Benjamin has received a number of awards and recognition by both regional and national media and news publications. In 2021, he was appointed RSF Finance Just Economy Institute Fellow and the recipient of the DMagazine DCEO 500 award. He was named one of the top 50 innovators in DFW in Dallas Innovates The Magazine 2020 Edition. In 2019, he was nominated for Cosign Magazine’s Tech Innovator and Public Figure of the Year Award, as well as Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2017. Awarded DFW Urban League Business of the Month, in 2016, he was featured in the 3rd and 4th edition of Who’s Who in Black Dallas Publication, In 2015, he awarded 40 under 40 Future Leaders in Dallas by i10 Magazine, named top 28 #BlackDFWMatters influencers, and featured on the cover of Be Great Magazine, Dallas Millennials Edition.

Benjamin is a Midwest native of Wichita, KS and earned his Bachelor Degree in Finance from Washburn University, where he was also a standout Defensive Back. Benjamin also played professional football in the Indoor Football League (IFL) for the Kansas Koyotes and was the Defensive Coordinator at Highland Park High School in Topeka, KS. He is a self-taught musician of four instruments, avid vinyl collector, and a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

August 13, 2021February 16, 2022

Paul Westbrook, Hunt Institute Fellow

Paul Westbrook is a recognized leader and speaker in efficiency, solar energy, and whole-system integrative design across the spectrum from residential projects to large industrial facilities. He brings this wealth of expertise to the Hunt Institute as a Fellow.

Paul currently serves on the board of Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions (KISS). Founded by Hunt Institute Social Entrepreneur Clara Ford, the organization’s mission is to reduce rural poverty by promoting sustainable development in Tanzania’s rural communities through education, community activism, sustainable initiatives, and youth and women empowerment. Together with Hunt Institute Fellow Dr. Jessie Zarazaga, Clara continues to work with the Hunt Institute’s Global Development Lab on the Kijiji Project, including the completion of Phase I and the Spring 2021 Innovative Sustainable Solutions Design Competition where Paul served as a judge helping to narrow down the final winners.

In 1996, Paul designed his own North Texas solar home, which won the NAHB Energy Value Housing Award for Innovative Design. The house utilizes passive and active solar design and still ranks as one of the most efficient homes in Texas; it has been on the annual national tour of solar homes since 1996. Extensive water efficiency and rainwater collection led to Paul being named a Water Genius by the North Texas Municipal Water District in 2009.

Paul has over 33 years of design and operational experience with large, complex manufacturing facilities. He led the effort at Texas Instruments (TI) to design and build the first sustainable, LEED Gold Certified semiconductor manufacturing facility (“fab”) in the world. The 1.1 million square foot facility in Richardson, Texas, is over 40% more energy efficient and cost 30% less to build than the previous fab. Paul was also the LEED Accredited Professional (AP) for two TI manufacturing facilities in the Philippines, including the first LEED Gold building of any type in that country.

As Sustainable Development Manager at TI, he led the effort to improve the energy and water efficiency of TI’s 20 million square feet of existing global facilities – doubling the company’s energy and water efficiency in less than 10 years. Paul has also worked with the International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative teams on industry-wide efficiency improvements and on green design standards.

In 2012, Paul was named a Senior Fellow for the US State Department’s Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) program. He visited Honduras, Bolivia, Columbia, and Peru, where he worked with governments, universities, and industry on efficiency and renewable energy. After retiring from TI, Paul started his consulting business, RE:source. The RE stands for Radical Efficiency. But it also stands for Resource Efficiency, Renewable Energy, REsilience, and REimagine. His book The Joy of Efficiency covers resource efficiency and integrative design. His research can be reviewed on his website titled Westbrook House where he provides links to learn about passive and active solar.

Paul received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1982. Paul is president and a saxophone player for the nonprofit Texins Jazz Band – a full big band established in 1986. He is also an accomplished track & field sprinter. He led the TI Team to 12 consecutive national corporate track titles as captain and was inducted into the United States Corporate Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.

When asked what motivates him to do impact work, Paul’s response is, “I’ve worked on many interesting projects that achieved radical efficiency and sustainability improvements. That experience and knowledge has value in many areas, and I’m happy to share.”

August 2, 2021August 12, 2021

Chris Kelley: Conversations about Community and Resilience

On this episode of The Hunt Institute’s Sages & Seekers Podcast, Chris Kelley discusses the Rwandan Genocide, its causes, how Rwanda has moved forward, and what we can all learn from this story. In the spring of 2019, Kelley published “Rwanda: 25 Years Later: A Primer on the 1994 Rwandan Genocide and What’s Happened Since Then.”

A Senior Fellow in the Institute, Kelley has more than 35 years’ experience in the journalism, interactive content and strategic communications fields. He is a passionate advocate for partners, working with them to develop influential content in all media formats (print, video, web, and social media) that inspires targeted audiences to action. Kelley is an expert in media relations and story-telling, having worked 27 years for Dallas-based A.H. Belo Corp., where he served as editor of DallasNews.com, website of The Dallas Morning News, and as a news reporter for 18 years. His video productions have received wide acclaim.

A relentless problem solver, Kelley, after accepting a voluntary severance arrangement from A.H. Belo Corp in 2006, formed The Kelley Group to bring his communications skills to select non-profits, humanitarian organizations and visionary corporations to expand the reach of their message effectiveness, using both traditional media and New Media formats to inspire a greater audience worldwide to take positive action on society’s challenges.

Focusing on human causes and social justice issues, Kelley is an expert in media relations and crisis communications, and through his media consultancy he has partnered with the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, Refugee Services of Texas, SMU, the Lighthouse for the Blind (Envision Dallas), the Deaf Action Center, and Alliance for Greater Works, among other institutions that engage in what he describes as having a big difference to make but needing some help to make it more efficiently and effectively.

In the conversation, Kelley said, “Rwanda is proof that through hard work, and with forgiveness, people can work through difficult issues.”

What is Hunt Sages & Seekers?

The Hunt Institute Sages & Seekers Podcast shares the stories of innovative social leaders and the resilient communities that have shaped them. The series explores guests’ personal experiences with social issues ranging from inequity in the arts and school segregation to climate change and police violence. Through conversations with these agents of change, listeners gain insight into the history of these matters and discover how we as a global community can work to correct them. Follow us on SoundCloud at Hunt Sages & Seekers Podcast.

April 23, 2021February 17, 2022

Trees: A Prescription for Dallas

Over the past 100 years, more than a third of the planet’s old-growth forest disappeared. Each year we are losing 4.7 million hectares of forests. This is a problem not only from an environmental but also social and economic perspective.

Trees provide important ecosystem services with respect to air quality, climate amelioration, water conservation, soil preservation, and supporting wildlife. Trees control climate by moderating the effects of the sun, rain, and wind. Trees provide food and shelter to an endless number of species. They offer social and spiritual value, increasing our quality of life and offering numerous health benefits. They provide significant economic value both as individual trees, such as by providing shade and reducing energy cost, and collectively as green spaces and landscape proven to increase property and neighborhood appeal and values. It has been estimated that trees provide an average of $500 million value in benefits each year to large cities like Dallas. According to the World Economic Forum, a systemic transformation to a nature-friendly economy could create 395 million jobs and deliver USD 10.1 trillion of economic value globally by 2030.

These topics were central at April 15th’s ImpactNights®. Few people know that Dallas is second only to Phoenix, Arizona for having the strongest heat island effect. This problem, just like environmental challenges in general, disproportionately impact under-resourced communities. Environmental equity is an especially pressing issue as under-resourced, often predominantly minority, communities are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of climate change and environmental degradation. The Texas Trees Foundation, along with the City of Dallas, has been at the forefront of implementing innovative approaches to tackle this challenge. Janette Monear, President & CEO of the Texas Tree Foundation, and Susan Alvarez, Assistant Director, Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability for the City of Dallas, shared their experiences on the work they have been doing and insights about priorities going forward. This important conversation was moderated by Dr. Candice Bledsoe.

A key take-away of the event was the need for research and data to drive smart policy to ensure intentional actions and support are in place to protect, maintain and plant trees, especially in locations where they can provide maximum environmental, social and economic value, and citizen advocacy to lawmakers to emphasize the importance of these issues.

__________

ImpactNights™ is the physical manifestation of the Inclusive Economy Consortium where we connect, share, and act. This event is about like-minded people coming together to share experiences and knowledge from the local, national, and international community within the Consortium to share their best practices and expertise. Monthly discussions are around pressing social issues facing our society. All of this is designed to get collective action for a more inclusive economy. Follow us on Eventbrite to be the first to know when event details are published so you can register to join the conversation.

This event is generously sponsored by Target Corporation and hosted by the Inclusive Economy Consortium, an initiative of Hunter & Stephanie Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity located in Lyle School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University.

Join us next time to be a part of the conversation to CONNECT – SHARE – ACT!

September 22, 2020February 28, 2022

Why We Do What We Do: Part III

Dr. James Oliver and Dr. Evan Csaky talking in the Hunt Institute

It is realistic to say there is not a soul on this planet that has not been affected in some way by this global pandemic. We have had to roll with the punches this year and each of us have found a way to re-align, re-adjust, let some things go, and choose to put other things on hold. Yet, we keep Pushing Through. Through it all, there are countless untold stories of perseverance, resilience, and people helping strangers. Our distinguished list of Affiliates are among those who keep Pushing Through with a desire to help address some of the consequences of this global pandemic.

The reality of the changing conditions due to COVID-19 has become a focus in much of our work in the Global Development Lab including health, entrepreneurship, and a resource map in Dallas to help those hit the hardest by COVID-19.

Our point of care device research led by Dr. Ali Beskok, former Departmental Chair for the Mechanical Engineering department and Professor, in partnership with Dr. Chiao Jung Chih, and their labs have shifted focus to “Lab on a Chip Device for COVID-19.” Dr. Beskok spoke to this shift when he said, “The primary motivation of our research is the development of inexpensive and accurate point of care devices for health monitoring in remote and underdeveloped regions. For example, such a malaria test can save thousands of lives around the world each year! This is our primary motivation.” Dr. Jungchih. For readers unfamiliar with traditional lab testing, the Mayo Clinic released a report about The Importance of Antibody Testing in Addressing COVID-19. Lab on chip and point of car devices expedite this same type of testing by reducing the time processed in a traditional lab. It is the goal of this research to put that rapid response resource into the hands of the first responders and health professionals on the front line. Dr. Jung Chih echoed Dr. Beskok’s motivation when he said, “We have an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate the power of engineering innovation to help control this global pandemic with SMU’s unique multidisciplinary research talents and synergic team work.“ They continue to push through in their labs despite the myriad of delays due to the pandemic.

We know that a healthy recovery for our economy needs entrepreneurship. Our partnership with the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center in Dallas, Texas working on the Moments that Matter research is a driving force behind business development for women veteran business owners. Our Affiliate VR Small speaks to her motivation, “Why I am so determined to drive the collection and application of real-time data about women veteran entrepreneurs is because I know the impact; I know we are not just building businesses; we’re transforming lives. When we help a women veteran owned business succeed, we strengthen our family structures, create community resources, and literally fuel our nation’s economy. My personal slogan is Changing the way we see the world and do business, and as a leader that’s what I strive to achieve every day.” The development of this national assessment tool will change the way we see and support women veteran entrepreneurs with an understanding of both their challenges and their successes. In this era of COVID-19, real time data driven decisions are critical to the continued recovery, stabilization and growth of our small business communities.

Finally, for short-term solutions, our Map INDallas in early beta development shifted to be a COVID-19 Relief Map. Dr. Eva Csaky, Executive Director of the Hunt Institute, along with the Advisory Committee dreamed up the Map INDallas project with a desire to improve access to information about free services available in Dallas through an innovative mapping approach. The original design was planned to provide information and analytics to service providers which will be in future work as we develop and create a collection of useful maps to address various issues. Dr. James Olivier, Hunt Institute Fellow and Adjunct Professor in Lyle School of Engineering, speaks to the importance of the shift in the map’s focus, “We wanted to provide targeted location oriented information to those affected by the SARS-COV-2 pandemic, allowing them to quickly find aid and services nearby. The Map INDallas project was the ideal way of quickly providing this needed resource.”

In the coming weeks, we will be highlighting various projects their affiliates, student workers, and industry or in-country partners telling their stories about resilience, innovation, and finding ways to keep Pushing Through.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu

September 9, 2020February 28, 2022

Mike Brown, Hunt Institute Fellow

Mike Brown, EIT, CEM, LEED AP BD+C, Energy Systems Design Engineer at HKS, Inc. and Fellow in the Hunt Institute

As Energy Analyst & Energy Systems Design Engineer with HKS, Mike is an Energy Engineer working alongside architects and engineers to help building owners/developers create high-performance buildings that save energy and are healthy for the environment. Mike joined the Hunt Institute as a Fellow and an Inclusive Economy Consortium Leadership Council Member.

An Engineer in Training, LEED Accredited Professional, and Building Energy Modeling Professional, he has been in the green building industry for over 7 years collaborating on projects all over the U.S., for a variety of project types.

Utilizing building energy modeling and other innovative sustainability tools, he has been able to help owners save an estimated $7.2M in energy cost and over $1.3 M in water costs on both LEED and non-LEED projects.

Passionate about his profession, Michael is currently involved in a variety of professional organizations including Board Member of Texas U.S. Green Building Council, Member of North Texas National Association of Energy Engineers, and the National Society of Black Engineers.

When asked why he was drawn to work with the Hunt Institute he replied, ” I’m passionate about applying my acquired technical skills and talents to building projects that contribute to the health of individuals, the community, and the planet. My work allows communities and clients to develop the design, construction, and operation of highly efficient and sustainable projects. By solving technical and constructability issues, we can save energy and water, which have a direct effect on depleting resources, polluting the environment, and equitable human ecosystems.”

AFFILIATIONS
International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA)
North Texas Association of Energy Engineers (NTAEE)
American Society of Heating Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE)
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
US Green Building Council (USGBC)

LEADERSHIP
North Texas Region (Texas Chapter) US Green Building Council
(Board Member 2015 –present)
DFW National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Professionals
(President 2015-2016, Finance Chair 2016-2017)
International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA)
(Vice President 2018-present)
North Texas Association of Energy Engineers (NTAEE)
(Social Media Committee Chair 2018 –present)

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

September 9, 2020February 28, 2022

Bruce Gnade, Ph.D.

Bruce Gnade, Ph.D. is a Clinical Professor and Affiliated Faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Lyle School of Engineering as well as the Executive Director of the Hart Center for Engineering Leadership. He was influential in bringing the Grand Challenge Scholars Program to Lyle. The Grand Challenge Scholars Program focuses on the NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering. Dr. Gnade’s research at SMU is focused on flexible electronics with applications ranging from radiation sensors to microelectronic arrays for cellular recording.

Dr. Gnade previously held leadership positions in industry and public service, including Texas Instruments, PixTech, Inc., and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where he served as a program manager overseeing influential technology research projects for the Department of Defense.

Gnade has authored or co-authored more than 195 refereed journal articles and holds 77 U.S. patents and 55 foreign patents. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, as well as a member of the Materials Research Society and the Society for Information Displays.

Dr. Gnade says his motivation is, “…the ability to work with the students that are interested in doing research in areas that can impact the betterment of society.”

His academic career includes faculty appointments at the University of Maryland, the University of North Texas, and the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). As the Distinguished Chair in Microelectronics and Vice President of Research at UTD, Gnade helped grow university research expenditures from $45M to $100M over a nine-year period. He holds a B.A. in chemistry from St. Louis University and a Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

August 24, 2020February 28, 2022

Spotlight on Local Dallas Entrepreneurs: Yulise Waters

Spotlight on Local Dallas Entrepreneurs: Yulise Waters, Deputy Director at Lone Star Justice Alliance

This week, the Hunt Institute would like to spotlight another member of the Inclusive Economy Consortium (IEC) Leadership Council and Hunt Institute Fellow, Yulise Reaves Waters. Ms. Waters is the Deputy Director at Lone Star Justice Alliance (LSJA), a nonprofit legal organization that improves the lives of youth and emerging adults in the justice system. She is responsible for overseeing and developing the Transformative Justice Model operating in Dallas County (SCCIP) and Williamson County (RISE). This multi-disciplinary program for emerging adults (ages 17-24) identifies and addresses the unmet needs which contributed to their involvement in the criminal justice system in order to reduce their likelihood of recidivism. As an executive team member, Waters also helps leads LSJA’s strategy, operations, and development.

Waters states that the most rewarding part of her job is getting to be a part of systemic change in the criminal justice system and collaborating with others who are equally as passionate about this work. One challenge, she points out, is the double-sided nature of innovation and change. “The system, unfortunately, was designed to get the results we are getting. Consequently, the whole thing needs to be overhauled and reimagined. The process of change and innovation makes this work both attractive and challenging. Vision casting and implementation is never easy,” Waters explains.

But being an innovator is a part of Waters’ DNA. Her dad, “Smokey” John Reaves, founder of family owned and operated Smokey John’s BBQ, was an entrepreneur, and she has been involved with start-ups for the majority of her life. “There is uncertainty and chaos that comes along with being a social entrepreneur,” Waters shares. Thus, her best advice for future social entrepreneurs is to remain flexible in the pursuit of your mission and always remember your ‘why’. For Waters, the why is her unwavering belief that all human life is valuable. “The number of lives that are marginalized, discounted, and thrown away by our criminal justice system is a travesty,” she expresses, “Everybody deserves an opportunity to be successful.”

You can read more about Yulise here and about the important work of the Lone Star Justice Initiative here. Stay tuned to the Hunt Institute Digest for more examples and case studies of social entrepreneurs.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

August 18, 2020February 28, 2022

Youth Up Next!

Over the coming weeks, the Hunt Institute Digest will feature various members of the Inclusive Economy Consortium (IEC) Leadership Council, and the important work they are doing in the Dallas community. This week, we feature Candice Bledsoe, PhD., Executive Director of Action Research Center & Founder of the Collective. This Global Development Lab project focused more specifically on the Action Research Center’s Young Social Innovators & Social Entrepreneurs Program to create a young entrepreneurial toolkit called Youth Up Next. The Young Social Innovators & Social Entrepreneurs program is designed to foster creativity, innovation, and social entrepreneurship in Dallas/Ft Worth Area. Furthermore, it is to enhance student’s leadership abilities through exposure to and practice with a broad array of leadership tools and concepts that emphasize self and group awareness, interpersonal communication and insightful analysis of resources and systems.

Youth Up Next is a toolkit designed to help student be change agents. Undergraduate Research Assistant Cambria Lewis is the project leader over the toolkit that offers turnkey solutions to the next generation. “The toolkit includes valuable information that is needed to for them to use social entrepreneurship as strategy to make change, “ says Lewis. The Assistant Director of the Hunt Institute and Portfolio Manager of the Global Development Lab, Corrie Harris says, “From stories of student entrepreneurs working with SMU’s Office of Engaged Learning to funding models for social entrepreneurs, the Youth Up Next toolkit is a great resource for young people.”

“Creativity and innovation are a major component of social entrepreneurship. As I continue to support the underrepresented, I believe that students can play major role as change agents. They are very creative, innovative, and smart. The Youth Up Next toolkit plays a major role in providing resources to help these young social innovators and social entrepreneurs make change in their communities,” says Dr. Candice Bledsoe.

As a Fellow in the Hunt Institute, Dr. Bledsoe helps shape the communication in the Institute’s various initiatives like the Social Enterprise. She teaches, “Storytelling and being a change agent go hand in hand.” As the executive director of the Action Research Center, she believes that it is essential to equip young change agents with tools to be successful. The center promotes personal development, academic excellence, and social change. They equip students, parents, teachers, and community leaders with the knowledge and skills to become change agents. Due to COVID-19, Dr. Bledsoe and the Action Research Center had to pivot to reach their students, teachers, and community leaders. After a decade of having the Cutting Edge Youth Summit conference, this year the Virtual Cutting Edge Youth Summit reached their stakeholders online.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn,Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu