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After spending months working on a NASA project as part of the St. Olaf Innovation Scholars Program, Ikaay Ugbodaga ’24 says he was struck by the profound impact that collaborative innovation can have on pushing the boundaries of human exploration.

“Working alongside NASA inventors and company contacts has given me a firsthand glimpse into the complexities and challenges of technology development for earth applications. It has reinforced my belief in the power of interdisciplinary teamwork and perseverance in overcoming obstacles,” he says. “This experience has broadened my perspective on the interconnectedness of science, technology, and society — and it has highlighted the importance of fostering a culture of innovation and curiosity to address the pressing challenges facing our world.”

The Innovation Scholars Program is an experiential learning opportunity that provides select students with the opportunity to work in multidisciplinary teams to engage in the business development of new innovations in real time. The program has previously worked on projects with the Mayo Clinic and Medical Alley companies, but St. Olaf’s 2023–24 Innovation Scholars team was given the opportunity to pilot a project with NASA. Students spent four months tackling a challenging tech transfer project from NASA’s biomedical portfolio focused on the regulatory steps required to commercialize a novel medical device that enables the imaging of structures just below the skin.

“As an independent but federally associated organization, NASA has some different priorities and processes from small businesses or physician-inventors we’ve worked with in the past.  But NASA is also a powerhouse of innovation, and it is an honor and a privilege to collaborate with them,” says Professor of Biology Kevin Crisp, the leading advisor on the project.

“Working alongside NASA inventors and company contacts has given me a firsthand glimpse into the complexities and challenges of technology development for earth applications. It has reinforced my belief in the power of interdisciplinary teamwork and perseverance in overcoming obstacles.”

Ikaay Ugbodaga ’24

Each Innovation Scholars team is given a product or innovation in development to research and assess its technology, potential applications, marketplace viability, and commercialization process. Then they spend four weeks working directly with an organization — in this case, NASA.

“The uniqueness of the program lies in providing students with real-world interdisciplinary problems to solve, problems that have implications for the lives of real patients down the road,” Crisp says. “Working with student teams that bring different majors, talents, and experiences to the table and watching them develop a strategy and recommendations over the course of four weeks has been highly rewarding.”

In addition to Ugbodaga, the 2023–24 Innovation Scholars team includes Matthias Baese ’25, Anna Dasari ’24, and Bailey VanderWilde ’24. Each Innovation Scholars team also includes a graduate student working on their MBA, and this team’s member was Augsburg University student Chan Sam. Having a team with diverse majors and interests allows for everyone to come into the project with different perspectives and skills to offer, Crisp notes. 

Dasari says this internship was extremely rewarding on multiple levels. It clearly illustrated the benefits of the different perspectives, experiences, and approaches that come with working as part of a multidisciplinary team.

“The most impactful part of this experience was hearing the feedback from our company contacts at NASA and learning about the aspects of our research that they found most helpful for the future of their product,” she says.

Beginning with their program applications in September, as well as a group interview simulation, the students then participated in several pre-experience on-campus team meetings as well as additional meetings with program mentors outside of St. Olaf. “The project is structured largely like a job during J-term, demanding a 9-5 work schedule and meeting deadlines throughout the week. As a team, we had to work together to get the deliverables done and also do so in a cohesive manner,” VanderWilde says. The core work of their project was completed throughout the January term and then was finalized and presented to NASA technology transfer officers in Minneapolis in March. 

“The highlight every year is the final presentation. That’s a moment for me to get out of the way and to let the true experts on the problem — the students — explain their recommendations and the solutions to their beneficiaries,” Crisp says.

“Being on this team meant a chance to explore a career path at the intersection of STEM and business. The project opened my eyes to what it means to bring a product to market, and all the obstacles that stand between. It was a real learn-by-doing scenario, in which all of us worked across our disciplines to bring the project together.”

Bailey VanderWilde ’24

The process for this project involved several key stages leading up to the final presentation. “Initially, we conducted comprehensive market research and feasibility studies to assess the commercial viability of the subcutaneous structural imager. This involved analyzing industry trends, identifying potential applications, and evaluating competitive offerings. Subsequently, we collaborated with NASA engineers to get a better understanding of the product’s application in a wide array of scenarios and applications,” Ugbodaga explains. “Throughout the project, we maintained close communication with stakeholders, soliciting feedback and making iterative improvements to our deliverables based on their input. Finally, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the return on investment, considering factors such as production costs, market demand, and potential revenue streams. Overall, the project was a multifaceted endeavor that required interdisciplinary collaboration, technical expertise, and strategic foresight to achieve success.”

The Innovation Scholars Program not only drives students to lean into their interconnectedness as a team but gives them the hands-on experience to know what business development is like in the present world. 

“Being on this team meant a chance to explore a career path at the intersection of STEM and business. The project opened my eyes to what it means to bring a product to market, and all the obstacles that stand between,” VanderWilde says. “It was a real learn-by-doing scenario, in which all of us worked across our disciplines to bring the project together.”