Dude! I'm in a Museum!
Innoskate presentation at the American Alliance of Museums National Meeting, May 19, 2014
The American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting & Museum Expo is the largest gathering of museum professionals in the world. More than 4,500 museum professionals gather each year to hear diverse perspectives on a wide range of topics, to connect with colleagues from across the country and around the world, and to engage in meaningful dialogue with peers from diverse backgrounds and from museums of all types.
The Innoskate planning team was honored to be selected to present at the AAM meeting in Seattle, Washington, May 18-21, 2014. Jeffrey Brodie of the Lemelson Center; Betsy Gordon of the National Museum of the American Indian; Julia Swann of the Museum of History and Industry; Josh Friedberg, International Association of Skateboard Companies; and Ryan Clements, TheBoardr, shared their experiences in building a successful collaboration among the Smithsonian, the skateboard community, and other partnering museums. The panelists discussed their efforts to create innovative models to work with external partners, engage diverse cultures, and share cultural authority to present history.
The American Alliance of Museums published highlights of the Innoskate presentation in the September/October issue of Museum, the AAM's bi-monthly magazine addressing the issues and challenges that face museums today. (Read the full article . . .)
Innoskate Global Innovators Congress at the International Association of Skateboard Companies Summit, May 14, 2015
The first Innoskate Global Innovators Congress, a plenary session held during the International Association of Skateboard Companies’ 8th Annual Summit, assembled a distinguished international group of innovators who are using skateboarding as a tool to promote positive social change in communities worldwide.
The Congress provided a unique opportunity to hear from some of the most inspiring and passionate skateboard activists from around the globe: Oliver Percovich from Skateistan, Miles Jackson from Cuba Skate, Israel Dejene from Megabi Skate in Ethiopia, Vinicius Tinoco from Next Up Foundation, and professional skateboarder Chico Brenes from Central Skate Camp and Central Skateshop in Nicaragua.
The session was moderated by Jeffrey Brodie, Deputy Director of the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, Betsy Gordon, Project Manager at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, and Josh Friedberg, Executive Director Emeritus of IASC.
Innoskate at the Smithsonian / United States Patent and Trademark Office Innovation Festival, September 18-19, 2015
In 2014, the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) joined together to engage the public, scholars, thought leaders, inventors, and innovators in a dialog about the critical role that invention and innovation play in our society.
In 2015, the Smithsonian and the USPTO collaboration produced the Innovation Festival at the National Museum of American History, celebrating invention, creativity, imagination, and innovation. Highlights of the festival included innovation and invention programs, hands-on activities, expert talks and demonstrations, and opportunities for the public to meet, learn, and exchange ideas with inventors and innovators while exploring their own creative abilities.
The Innoskate program team was excited to join innovators from around the country to demonstrate how today’s inventors are creating the world of our future. Inventor "Professor" Paul Schmitt, IASC Executive Director Josh Friedberg, and Lemelson Center Deputy Director Jeffrey Brodie discussed the role of invention and innovation in skate culture and displayed 20 skateboards that document the evolution and innovation in the technology of the skateboard over the past 50 years. More than 20,000 museum visitors attended the festival.
