Conversations in Social Innovation

Conversations in Social Innovation allow participants to connect their research with the pursuit of social innovations.

Taylor aims to promote networking, explore pathways in social innovation research, and advance our social innovation research collaborations among the center, Tulane, local universities, and community partners.

We welcome doctoral students and other graduate students, faculty, post-doctoral researchers and community researchers keen to learn more about research in social entrepreneurship, design thinking, and social innovation.

April 2021: Applying a Social Innovation Lens to Community Engaged Scholarship
The Taylor Center partnered with the Tulane Center for Public Service and the Tulane University Mellon Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship to host a panel of Mellon Program alumni to discuss the intersection of social innovation with community-engaged scholarship work.

October 2020: Social Innovation Conversation: From Faculty Member to Nonprofit Director
Dr. Shannon Blady and Dr. Mallory Monaco Caterine, who hold Professorships in Social Entrepreneurship, provided insights into the challenges and opportunities they encounter, as well as the tools and strategies they use as non-profit leaders.

February 2020: Decolonizing Social Innovation Research: Learning from PlayBuild NOLA
The purpose of this engaging scholarly conversation is to feature how our community partner organizations create valuable knowledge for social innovation practice. Come learn from PlayBuild NOLA about their collaborations with the City and Tulane to promote grassroots action around child-friendly environments in New Orleans. The presenter will be Angela Kyle, the Executive Director and Co-Founder of PlayBuild NOLA (long-time service learning and Fast 48 partner). Graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, faculty, staff and community partner organizations are welcome.

October 2019
Three recipients of the Taylor Changemaker Catalyst Award(CCA) -Andy Melendez Salgado, Bethany Beachum, and Shana Zucker shared findings, insights about research methodology, and musings about how social innovation and changemaking influences their scholarly work. Read about the October 2019 SI Conversation.

April 2019
Designing for Global Health: A Social Innovation Conversation with Anne LaFond of John Snow Inc. (JSI) was facilitated by Dr. Alessandra Bazzano (Professor of Social Entrepreneurship and faculty in Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences/GCHB).

March 2019: “Design Thinking and Social Impact, from A-Z” featured director of the Small Center for Collaborative Design, Ann Yoachim and visiting learning scientist, Dr. Zaza Kabayadondo.

September 2018
“Tales from the Field” featured doctoral students Maille Faughnan and Jeanne Firth sharing findings from their research on design thinking update in Kenya and food system philanthropy in New Orleans. Download the slides from the Sept. 2018 event.

2015
Led by graduate students and supported by the Taylor Center, the day-long Social Innovation Symposium evolved into the current “S.I. Conversations”. Discovering Social Innovation through Engaged Scholarship” took place in 2015.  View the 2015 Social Innovation Symposium program (pdf).

Have questions or an idea for an SI Conversation?

Contact Dr. Anna Monhartova at amonhart@tulane.edu.