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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

  • 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 | Jill Abramson | 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 | Autumn Sloboda | Reboot Democracy
  • EVENT: Join us on September 12 for a conversation with David Lesher on “Using AI to Foster Legislative Transparency”

    The Rebooting Democracy in the Age of AI lecture series returns on September 12 with David Lesher, a veteran California journalist and state policy expert…

    Sep. 09, 2024 | Domenick Gaita | Reboot Democracy

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.

  • A Healthier Democracy

    Leveraging AI to drive civic engagement and economic opportunity.

IN THE NEWS

  • UAW’s tall task: Rebuilding its political power to boost Harris campaign

    Burnes Center Senior Fellow Seth Harris, is quoted discussing the resurgence of the UAW under Shawn Fain’s leadership, emphasizing its return to a more activist,…

    Sep. 06, 2024 | Grant Schwab, Kalea Hall and Luke Ramseth | gmtoday
  • 53% of Consumers Say They’re Wary of GenAI

    Burnes Center Director Beth Simone Noveck expands on the importance of focusing AI’s data-crunching abilities to address urgent issues such as inequality and climate change.

    Sep. 03, 2024 | PYMNTS | PYMNTS
  • Harris Finds Top Labor Allies Despite Questions on Her Plans

    Burnes Center Senior Fellow Seth Harris is quoted, discussing Kamala Harris’s dedication to workers in the United States.

    Sep. 01, 2024 | Ted Mann, Josh Eidelson | Bloomberg

upcoming events

  • Workshop

    InnovateUS: Developing an Ethics Ecosystem for AI and Big Data

    Join us for this 60-minute virtual training where John Basl will discuss the challenges in developing ethical artificial intelligence (A.I.) based systems in the current…

    2:00pm3:30pm

    Virtual

    Sep.
    12
    2024

  • Rebooting Democracy in the Age of AI with David Lesher on Using AI to Foster Legislative Transparency

    Calmatters Co-Founder David Lesher is a veteran California journalist and state policy expert. CalMatters is a nonpartisan and nonprofit news organization bringing Californians stories that…

    5:00pm6:30pm

    https://northeastern.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYkcu2vrz0oGdVmv6qCriVRa8TmDWa34-SI#/registration

    Sep.
    12
    2024

  • Lawrence Ingrassia in conversation with Jill Abramson

    Burnes Center Senior Fellow Jill Abramson in discussion with Lawrence Ingrassia on his new book A Fatal Inheritance: How a Family Misfortune Revealed a Deadly…

    7:00pm7:30pm

    Harvard Book Store
    1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02318

    Sep.
    12
    2024

  • Workshop

    InnovateUS: How to Bring Tech and AI Talent into Government

    Join us for a 60-minute virtual workshop with Jennifer Anastasoff, where participants will receive specific advice for recruiting and hiring technical experts and will learn…

    2:00pm3:00pm

    Virtual

    Sep.
    17
    2024

  • Workshop

    InnovateUS: Private Innovation in the Public Interest: Turning Problems into Opportunities for Corporate Engagement

    In this 60-minute virtual workshop led by Anita McGahan, participants will learn how to build alignment with the private sector, break down problems into actionable…

    2:00pm3:00pm

    Virtual

    Sep.
    18
    2024

  • Editorial Checkup: Assessing the Media in an Unprecedented Year 

    Burnes Center Senior Fellow Jill Abramson will discuss the performance of the press in relation to our democracy during the 2024 presidential election.

    6:30pm7:30pm

    Online or in person at:
    170 Central Park West
    at Richard Gilder Way (77th Street)
    New York, NY 10024

    Sep.
    18
    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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