From Demanding Change to Making It.
MISSION AND VISION
The challenges societies face today cannot be solved with yesterday’s toolkit. The Burnes Center 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.
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.
upcoming events
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Seminar
Book talk: Solving Public Problems
12:00pm
Virtual
Mar.
30
2023 -
Workshop
InnovateUS: Using Rapid Evidence Review to Find Solutions in Government
2:00pm – 3:30pm
Virtual
Mar.
30
2023 -
Seminar
Cloud Platforms: How Digital Platforms are Overtaking the State and How We Can Regain Control
3:30pm – 5:00pm
West Village H, 366
440 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Or join on Zoom: L.Khoury.to/colloq-ssMar.
31
2023
new from the burnes center
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7 Skills to Save the World
Jul. 25, 2022 | | TEDx NortheasternU -
Solving Public Problems Accelerator
The SPP Accelerator is a learning and coaching program to source and develop promising projects designed to improve education, learning, and development using data.
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InnovateUS
Offered by the GovLab (USA), this state collaborative supports public servants to deliver more effective, equitable and agile public services and policies through free training…
IN THE NEWS
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Can the labor movement capitalize on its big wins from 2022?
Dec. 28, 2022 | | Fast Company -
Northeastern researcher pledges to unlock power of cellphone-generated mobility data to benefit neighborhoods
Oct. 20, 2022 | | NGN -
Will Rail Labor Negotiations Derail Our Economy? Probably Not.
Aug. 15, 2022 |
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
(Northeastern students only)
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
ABOUT
The Burnes Center is the first university-wide center for social change. The Center advances real-world impact by teaching individuals and institutions in over 100 countries the skills needed to design and implement innovative and equitable solutions to our hardest problems. The Center also implements high-impact, measurable solutions to specific global challenges through our unique Impact Studios. We are focused on delivering these two core offerings in three areas of priority focus: education, democracy, and labor and economic justice.
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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