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From Demanding Change to Making It.

The Burnes Center designs and implements practical solutions to society’s hardest problems. We develop innovative, participatory, and equitable approaches to solving public problems using new technology.

from the burnes center

  • Let AI remake the whole U.S. government, with human ingenuity alongside data

    Burnes Center Direct Beth Simone Noveck reflects on Josh Tyrangiel’s latest Washington Post article.

    Mar. 14, 2024 | Beth Simone Noveck | Reboot Democracy
  • Rebooting Democracy – News That Caught Our Eye #7: March 14th, 2024

    Updates, research, and change-making that caught Burne’s Center’s Artificial Intelligence and Social Impact Fellow Jay Kemp’s eye, stories related to ways in which AI is…

    Mar. 14, 2024 | Jay Kemp | Reboot Democracy
  • Prices, jobs, access to groceries: What’s at stake as the FTC tries to kill the Kroger-Albertsons merger

    The Burne’s Center’s Senior Fellow Seth Harris comments on the FTC’s push to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger as a potential victory for workers.

    Feb. 27, 2024 | J.J. McCorvey | NBC News

Burnes center projects

  • Impact Studio: Unlocking Literacy

    Convening community conversations on improving literacy and equity.

  • InnovateMA – AI For Impact

    Solving public sector problems by tapping into the potential of Artificial Intelligence and the talent of Northeastern students.

  • InnovateUS

    Delivering free online learning for public servants by public servants on data, digital, and innovation skills with an emphasis on evidence-based and equitable approaches.

  • Reboot Democracy

    Advancing collective intelligence with artificial intelligence.

  • Power at Work

    Contributing to a discourse in the United States that emphasizes the importance of collective action and puts workers and worker power at the center of…

  • The Internet We Deserve

    A Lecture Series on the history and possibilities of the Internet.

  • Impact Studio: Election Subversion

    Bringing together diverse experts to counter efforts that undermine the integrity of U.S. elections.

IN THE NEWS

  • Rethinking the Future of Artificial Intelligence: Debunking the AI Risk Hype

    The Burnes Center Director Beth Simone Noveck explains AI tools are not sentient or human.

    Mar. 14, 2024 | Kevin Topolsky | EBlog.pl
  • Not Everyone Thinks AI Is Going To Destroy Us

    The Burnes Center Director Beth Simone Noveck explains AI tools are not sentient or human.

    Mar. 14, 2024 | Pymnts | Pymnts
  • What the Press and Pollsters Get Wrong about a Biden-Trump Rematch

    The Burnes Center Senior Fellow Jil Abramson shares her insight on what the press and pollsters should prepare for in the upcoming election.

    Mar. 14, 2024 | Jack Shafer | Politico

upcoming events

  • Cyborg Book Launch with Authors Laura Forlano and Danya Glabau

    Join the Burnes Center for Social Change and the College of Arts, Media, and Design at Northeastern University for a book conversation with Senior Fellow…

    5:30pm7:00pm

    Northeastern Center for Design, Ryder Hall, 11 Leon St #102, Boston, MA 02115

    Mar.
    19
    2024

  • Workshop

    InnovateUS: Knowledge Management Strategies: How to Learn from the Past and Invest in Your Future

    2:00pm3:30pm

    Virtual

    Mar.
    20
    2024

  • AI and the Future of Lawmaking

    Rebooting Democracy in the Age of AI Lecture Series presents “AI and the Future of Lawmaking” with guest lecturer Marci Harris.

    5:00pm

    Zoom

    Mar.
    21
    2024

  • The Internet We Deserve with Tom Wheeler

    On Tuesday, March 26 at 2 p.m., hear from Tom Wheeler, former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) where he led the FCC’s efforts…

    2:00pm3:00pm

    Mar.
    26
    2024

  • Author Q&A + Book Signing with Hamilton Nolan on “The Hammer”

    The Power at Work Blog, run by Burnes Center Senior Fellow Seth Harris, is hosting a Q&A Book Signing with Hamilton Nolan, author of “The…

    6:30pm8:30pm

    Northeastern University College of Professional Studies
    101 Belvidere Street Third Floor Boston, MA 02115

    Mar.
    27
    2024

  • Workshop

    InnovateUS: Industry Series: Using AI to Enhance Government Services and Operations

    2:30pm3:30pm

    Virtual

    Mar.
    27
    2024

WHAT WE BELIEVE

Change-makers are made, not born.

Everyone has the potential and the power to become a successful problem solver.

We cannot solve tomorrow’s challenges with yesterday’s tools.

Innovative technologies, policies, and partnerships are required for systems-level change.

How you implement matters.

Solving problems in practice requires going beyond innovative ideas to implementation of equitable solutions that measurably improve people’s lives.

The future depends upon all of us.

Tackling systemic public problems demands that we work closely with communities from day one.

WHAT WE DO

  • Education

    Teaching and learning the skills of social change and impact

  • Research

    Building the emerging field of global social change and impact

  • Convening

    Connecting communities of mission-driven leaders

  • Action

    Leading implementation of innovative solutions in key areas, including education equity, strengthening democracy and reducing gun violence

EDUCATION

Solving Public Problems

Our free foundational course providing the skills to design and implement social change.

  • Tools and technologies for designing and implementing mission-driven projects
  • Ways to use Big Data and community wisdom to tackle problems  
  • How to combine subject matter expertise and problem-solving skills
  • An introduction to leading social and public innovators

Interactive exercises

Video tutorials

12-part online program

SOCIAL CHANGE AT NORTHEASTERN

As a university-wide center, we look for new opportunities to collaborate with others engaged in social-impact work.

OUR BENEFACTORS

About the Burnes family

The Center is named in recognition of the generous investment made by the Burnes Family: Nonnie and Richard Burnes, and their three children, who have championed many social causes.

Nonnie Burnes, who passed away in August 2021, leaves behind a remarkable legacy defined by her selfless commitment to making real change in her communities and around the world. A 1978 Northeastern School of Law alumna, Nonnie pursued equality and justice, and was passionate about empowering others. She was a leader in the Massachusetts legal community and left a legacy of championing women’s rights and liberties. She upheld and advocated  these ambitious values while serving on Northeastern’s Board of Trustees and as a senior university fellow at the university’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs.   


“For all who were fortunate enough to know her, Nonnie Burnes was a pure joy; a person of unequaled spirit, courage, and grace, with a passion for helping others that defined her every undertaking.”

JOSEPH E. AOUN
PRESIDENT, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

MISSION AND VISION

The challenges societies face today cannot be solved with yesterday’s toolkit. The Burnes Center for Social Change at Northeastern University advances real-world impact by teaching individuals and institutions the skills needed to design and implement innovative and equitable solutions to our hardest problems. In the process, we are building a new field of social impact that leverages data, technology and community wisdom and the power of institutions to enable systems-level change in practice.

NEWSLETTER

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