Bring your inspiration to the 2023 Inspired Ideas Competition hosted by the Berglund Center. All degree-seeking students at Pacific University are encouraged to register by Friday. Winners receive scholarships and opportunities to turn their prototypes into reality. Please note the competition start time of 10 a.m. Saturday, April 22.
Berglund Center
The Berglund Center at Pacific University is a university-wide innovation center where innovative thinking, entrepreneurship and multidisciplinary team work comes together to launch new products, services and ideas within a vibrant learning community. The Berglund Center is focused on serving every major and degree seeking student at Pacific University, from first semester freshman to doctoral students. The Berglund Center reports to the Provost and is part of the Academic Affairs unit on campus serving all five Colleges at Pacific University.
Mission
The Berglund Center’s mission is to support multidisciplinary and multicollegiate creativity, scholarship, entrepreneurship and the development of leadership skills through the incubation of innovative ideas, products and services.
Programs
The mission of the Berglund Center is executed through three main programs:
The Inspired Ideas Competition, where students propose unique solutions to problems from any field of study or profession. This competition is based on the uniqueness of the solution and the impact that creating such solution may have in improving the lives of others. It is free and open to all degree seeking students at Pacific, regardless of rank or major, and it awards 3 teams/projects with up to $25,000 in support each. This support is in the form of a fellowship, technological resources, professional and entrepreneurial experience, combined with a small group of dedicated students that will work alongside the winning team members to turn the idea into a proof-of-concept prototype, within an academic year.
The Boxer Makerspace, where the unique tools used by the Berglund Center to create innovations, is available to the broader Pacific University community to use. This dedicated experiential learning space is located in the second floor of the Tran library, and houses 3D printing, CNC machining, Laser Cutting, 3D scanning, electronics/robotics and other equipment for learning and use.
The BoMA Grant, is a small grant program for faculty at Pacific University who are doing scholarly work, or teaching courses that can benefit from the use of the Berglund Center equipment, or the Boxer Makerspace physical spaces, including its classroom. This grant is managed by OSSP.
The Berglund Center is funded by an endowment from Pacific University alumni Drs. Mary and James Berglund of La Jolla, California.
Contact Us
J. Andy Soria, PhD. | Director of the Berglund Center
503-352-3185 | jasoria@pacificu.edu
Tran Library, Room 210
Scott Albritton, MSEd. | Boxer Makerspace Coordinator
503-352-2246 | scotta@pacificu.edu
Tran Library, Room 211
Headlines
The Berglund Center's Inspired Ideas Competition is back in person! This is a unique opportunity for all Pacific students, graduate and undergraduate who have a creative idea that solves a problem or improves the lives of others. Win up to $25,000 worth of financial support in scholarships and product development to turn your idea into an actual prototype!
Pacific University has received its first patent, marking the beginning of a new, entrepreneurial chapter for the university. It's for a device called HeartMic.