HEALab coming to ASU’s West campus

Ideas will have a new place to grow and flourish starting this October at Arizona State University’s West campus.

One year after successfully launching a first-of-its-kind Health Entrepreneurship and Accelerator Lab for ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus, the HEALab is expanding.

“The ASU West campus population is growing rapidly with bright students who have the potential to create sustainable solutions to health issues. There is a vacuum, however, of programming and support opportunities for students to launch their ideas,” said Rick Hall, director of health innovation programs and clinical professor at the College of Nursing and Health Innovation.

Seeking to fill that need, Hall started a conversation with New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Professor and Associate Dean Lara Ferry and Ji Mi Choi from Entrepreneurship + Innovation at ASU. After their discussions, it was clear there was an opportunity for collaboration.

“We are always interested in creating new opportunities for students to explore their ideas while at the same time increasing their awareness of, and access to, the full slate of entrepreneurial resources offered at ASU," said Choi, associate vice president of the Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development. "Partnering with Dr. Hall and the College of Nursing and Health Innovation to bring the HEALab model to West is an example of our partnership and collaboration with schools across ASU."

With the support of the College of Nursing and Health Innovation Dean Judith Karshmer and New College Dean Todd Sandrin, the HEALab at West was officially ready to launch.

“We want students from all colleges to come to our events and to utilize the Changemaker and HEALab spaces. While our focus is on health-related solutions, we hope to attract business and communications students and others to work alongside health and life science students,” Hall said.

For the 2018–19 school year, the HEALab at West will initiate all programming in the Changemaker Central space which is located in Devil’s Den at the Verde Dining Pavilion.

“We are so excited to be working with this fantastic team of people," Ferry said. "The interdisciplinary spirit of this initiative is part of the core mission of the New College. We know that when individuals come together from different backgrounds and perspectives, they solve problems more efficiently and more creatively, using more of the resources out there at their disposal. We can’t wait to see what our students do with this opportunity.” 

The first event will take place from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 10, featuring guest speaker Chris Asterino, the chief executive officer of RevMD. RSVP to HEALab@asu.edu. The event is open to everyone.

“Ideally, we will leverage our efforts in the HEALab at West to increase awareness of health innovation possibilities for students, faculty, staff and community members. In a time of significant disruptions related to health, we need innovation leaders who are empowered to navigate change,” Hall said.