Julia Huebner (JH) and Ben Szuhaj (BS) present a candid discussion for The Dartmouth on what it means to innovate:

"JH: Ben, I was thinking — nothing these days seems original.

BS: Oh, you mean how we have a “9th Star Wars” and a 37th “Kidz Bop?”

JH: Only 37? What a shame. But yeah; same goes for tired conversations with the same talking points on campus: the Greek system is problematic; Dartmouth Dining Services is corrupt; Phil Hanlon is an uninspired leader.

BS: Can’t argue with that!

JH: I guess the same goes for the “Design Thinking” class [Engineering Sciences 12] that you’re in, Ben. I’ve seen three terms now of “Design Thinking” projects, and the same solutions keep coming up. For example, the foamcore model roller coasters: I’ve seen the “Olympic” theme every term, sometimes twice per term! Engineering professor Eugene Korsunskiy isn’t bothered by that. He said that the value is in the process of design, not in the deliverable.

BS: I think he’s right. Teaching kids a process that could help them one day to invent or create truly original solutions is important in its own right." ...