Miami University’s College of Engineering and Computing is now a partner in the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN).

KEEN is a network of colleges and universities that aims to train engineers to have an entrepreneurial mindset so that when they graduate, they can create personal, economic, and societal value through a lifetime of meaningful work.  

The network is affiliated with the Kern Family Foundation, established by Robert D. Kern and Patricia E. Kern.

“The entrepreneurial mindset is as vital for success in the 21st century as the pioneering mindset in the 19th century and the manufacturing mindset in the 20th,” Miami President Gregory Crawford said. 

Crawford added, “Once, a typical career was one job at one hometown company with a gold watch upon retirement. Now, disruption occurs at an accelerated pace. Entrepreneurial thinking equips us to respond to rapidly changing circumstances by evaluating options, imagining possibilities, and taking risks. The collaborations among higher education institutions fostered by KEEN are integral to infusing engineering students with the increasingly crucial entrepreneurial mindset Miami desires for all its students.”

Through this partnership, CEC will help build and participate in shared KEEN curriculum resources, develop and implement programs on campus, and commit to advancing “the three C’s” of an entrepreneurial mindset (curiosity, connections, and creating value) to the broader engineering education community. 

“Our students are focused on using technology and engineering skills for the benefit of society through our ethos of socially engaged engineering and computing,” said Beena Sukumaran, dean of the College of Education and Computing.

Sukumaran added, “This ties in beautifully with the emphasis on the entrepreneurial mindset that KEEN promotes through the 3C’s – Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value. Our faculty, who are exemplary teacher-scholars, do this in the classroom through active learning and project-based education to show the connections between subject areas that nurtures systems thinking.”

Miami’s partnership with KEEN is spearheaded by Jessica Sparks, associate dean and professor of biomedical engineering.  

“The networking and the resources provided through KEEN will be invaluable to our faculty as we grow our emphasis on active learning and entrepreneurial thinking,” she said. “We are thrilled to become part of this community that shares and co-creates such a rich variety of educational resources, innovative ideas, and best practices aimed at transforming engineering education through an entrepreneurial mindset.”

The College of Engineering and Computing provides numerous pathways for students to develop their technical skills by tackling real-world challenges. 

The Center for Assistive Technology is an interdisciplinary research center identifying socially relevant problems and developing engineering solutions by engaging students and faculty at Miami across multiple divisions.

The Lilly Leadership Institute cultivates leaders who will flourish in their professions and lives by thinking strategically, working collaboratively with others, effectively communicating their ideas, and finding innovative solutions to society's most complex problems.

In addition, a number of student-led organizations create unique opportunities to engage with the community, collaborate to develop creative solutions to complex problems, and help others