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
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Building an ethics ecosystem for AI and big data
Jess Silverman writes on Dr. John Basl’s call for a comprehensive “ethics ecosystem” for artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. Basl highlights common pitfalls in…
Sep. 16, 2024 | | InnovateUS -
The race between Trump and Harris could not be tighter
Burnes Center Senior Fellow Jill Abramson writes for Prospect Magazine, contrasting Kamala Harris’s focused campaign with Trump’s erratic behavior, highlighting their upcoming debate’s potential impact…
Sep. 09, 2024 | | Prospect Magazine -
Rebooting Democracy in the Age of AI Lecture Series Returns on September 12
Join us for the Rebooting Democracy in the Age of AI lecture series, which kicks off this Thursday, brings together changemakers from a variety of…
Sep. 09, 2024 | | Reboot Democracy
Burnes center projects
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Impact Studio: Unlocking Literacy
Convening community conversations on improving literacy and equity.
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InnovateMA – AI For Impact
Solving public sector problems by tapping into the potential of Artificial Intelligence and the talent of Northeastern students.
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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.
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Reboot Democracy
Advancing collective intelligence with artificial intelligence.
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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…
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The Internet We Deserve
A Lecture Series on the history and possibilities of the Internet.
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Impact Studio: Election Subversion
Bringing together diverse experts to counter efforts that undermine the integrity of U.S. elections.
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A Healthier Democracy
Leveraging AI to drive civic engagement and economic opportunity.
IN THE NEWS
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Digital Participation Infrastructure
Q&A with Audrey Tang and Beth Simone Noveck on widening the lens on digital infrastructure to focus on civic participation and to support thriving, inclusive,…
Sep. 19, 2024 | | New America -
US-based Promise is changing the debt collection business with compassion
Burnes Center Senior Fellow Beth Simone Noveck discusses the challenges of designing government technology that is functional and user-friendly, especially for bureaucratic local governments.
Sep. 18, 2024 | | Forbes India -
California’s Digital Democracy: Using AI to Enhance Legislative Transparency
View the full conversation from the Sept 12, 2024 lecture by David Lesher with remarks from Senator Andrew Zwicker
Sep. 16, 2024 | | Reboot Democracy
upcoming events
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Workshop
InnovateUS: Private Innovation in the Public Interest: Moving Beyond Corporate Engagement to Sustained Initiatives
In this 60-minute virtual workshop led by Anita McGahan, participants will learn how to overcome structural problems when organizations aren’t aligned, how to build relationships,…
2:00pm – 3:00pm
Virtual
Sep.
25
2024 -
Workshop
A State-Based Approach Generative Artificial Intelligence: Learning from New Jersey
Join InnovateUS’s Workshop led by Chris Rein to hear an overview of what the State of New Jersey is doing with respect to generative artificial…
2:00pm – 3:30pm
Virtual
Oct.
01
2024 -
Workshop
Policy Analysis for Public Professionals
Join InnovateUS to explore how equity is assessed in public policy, understand challenges, engage communities, and utilize tools for equity measurement and analysis across federal…
2:00pm – 3:30pm
Virtual
Oct.
08
2024 -
Workshop
Data Quality and Management in the Public Sector
Join us for a 90-minute virtual training with Rebecca Friedman, Tony Vachino, and Carolyn Carson of IBM. For the public sector to fully realize the…
2:00pm – 3:30pm
Virtual
Oct.
17
2024 -
Leveraging AI to Promote Fair Elections with Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean and Kate Gage
Less than a week before the 2024 Presidential Election, Jeanine Abrams McLean, President at Fair Count, and Kate Gage, Executive Director of the Cooperative Impact…
5:00pm – 6:30pm
https://northeastern.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEkd-mrqjIiHdarinz3HlYnjofw0rpjI-2Y#/registration
Oct.
30
2024 -
Workshop
AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What It Can’t, and How to Tell the Difference
Join us along with Arvind Narayanan to learn about the differences between predictive artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI, and other types of AI, and to…
2:00pm – 3:30pm
Virtual
Nov.
06
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
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Education
Teaching and learning the skills of social change and impact
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Research
Building the emerging field of global social change and impact
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Convening
Connecting communities of mission-driven leaders
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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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