Celebrate SMART innovation for a sustainable world

InnovatingSMART:
A Sustainability / Innovation Opportunity for Young Professionals

Introduction

The InnovatingSMART story-telling initiative invites career changers and young professionals to meet with and interview state-of-the-art SMART entrepreneurs and leaders. Learn about SMART innovation from those who are doing it.  Discover your own interests and passions, and begin to see your own role in designing, building, facilitating or celebrating SMART innovation for a sustainable world.

To learn more about SMART innovation and the InnovatingSMART story network, see the prototype network framework found at www.innovatingsmart.ning.com.

Internship Opportunity

InnovatingSMART is seeking a small team of Interns to conduct the “InnovatingSMART Pilot Program”, to further develop, test, seed and refine this new system. The timeframe for this Pilot is mid-April to mid-July, 2010.  A 10-20 hour/week commitment is requested.  Smaller and larger engagements can also be arranged, if appropriate. Note that these internships are unpaid, but provide many career-building benefits (see below).  

Specific objectives for the “InnovatingSMART Pilot Program” internship team include:

-          Creating the scouting database of SMART innovators (necessary information provided; this is a data-entry and light research task)

-          Conducting story-telling activities:  assisting Innovators in posting their descriptions, conducting in-depth interviews, transcribing and posting interviews, finding or creating additional media forms, such as images and videos

-          Refining the InnovatingSMART story network prototype (improving aestethics and logistics as needed, embedding viral components), readying it for full rollout

-          Prototyping community management practices (moderation, guidance, social engagement), for use in full rollout

-          Creating and conducting outreach activities to recruit story-tellers on a larger scale

Internship interviews begin Wednesday, April 7^th.   These interviews will be approximately one hour, and typically conducted via Skype.   For your interview, be prepared to discuss:

-          the nature of your interest in SMART innovation

-          the nature of your interest in the InnovatingSMART initiative

-          your feedback on the prototype story network found at www.innovatingsmart.ning.com:
(what are we getting right? What needs improvement?  How does the system seem to work, based on the information provided and implied?  Is it clear?  What would make it clearer?)

-          which of the Pilot objectives above you are interested in helping with

-          a description or sample of your communication skills (verbal, written, video/audio, graphic, other)

-          your educational background and chosen field(s) of study

-          your work background, career interests and directions

-          your passions and special interests

For those who find a good match with this project, we will meet again in person.  Thank you!

If you come on board, your work will be conducted through a combination of team work sessions, independent effort, and in-person or Skype- based formal Interviews with SMART Innovators. You will be required to provide your own computer and network access.  Thank you!

Internship Benefits

“InnovatingSMART Pilot Program” Interns will gain career-enhancing connections, and each of the benefits below – all as a bridge into your eventual career (or career change):  

-          up-close exposure to sustainability-driven innovation and innovation process

-          a role in describing and promoting critical features of sustainability

-          a role in describing and promoting critical features of innovation

-          a sense of the outstanding need for future innovation, and your possible role in creating it

-          professional/pre-professional experience for your resume

-          a performance review, and a Letter of Recommendation based on your performance

 While the internship program is unpaid, we seek to provide you a flexible yet formal, professional-quality-expected work experience, which will inform your career and enhance your resume.

Initiative Director
Sue Lebeck

InnovatingSMART Initiative Director

In conjunction with the Sustainovation department of www.Conexions.org.

Contact

Please email a brief cover letter and your resume to slebeck@innovatingSMART.org. 

Please use the subject “InnovatingSMART Internship”, so that we don’t overlook your message.

We are out of the office for one week, but will contact you after April 5^th to arrange a Skype interview. (If you do not yet have access to Skype, we can make another arrangement.)

Thank you! for your interest in SMART innovation for a sustainable world.