University of Georgia

Gregory Wilson has been a University Innovation Fellow at the University of Georgia since April 2013, where he is a PhD candidate in Learning, Design, and Technology with a specialization in Engineering Education. He also has a background in computer science with a BS from Georgia Tech and a MS from Virginia Tech. His research involves studying and developing informal learning environments that exposes business, engineering, art, technology, and science students to interdisciplinary collaboration, challenge-based learning, entrepreneurship, and design thinking. He hopes to uncover guidelines to what tools, spaces, and contexts are needed for a successful environment. His mission is to empower people to make great products that affect the world. In 2013, Gregory participated in a 10 day, 7 city journey that enabled him and 23 other millennial passengers (18-35 years old) to “identify, evaluate and explore emerging opportunities and challenges in communities where the trains stopped while advancing a crowdfunded project that benefits, serves, and inspires others”. Stops along the route included San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Denver, Omaha, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C. The project he worked on during the trip was an idea for a non-traditional college that cultivates interconnected mindsets in self-directed learners. As a fellow, Gregory has started many projects including organizing a make-a-thon series which fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, design thinking, and entrepreneurship among students from all disciplines and levels, designed an entrepreneurship and innovation website for bringing awareness to the resources and programs available on campus, and collaborated with the Science Library to build the university’s first makerspace.