✦ Founded by Dr. Sushil Bhatia for the Sawyer Business School in 2006

✦ Rules & Guidelines✦ Well-formulated product ideas- do not need to physically create product✦ Can be inspired from existing product✦ May apply individually or as a team✦ Contestants must be students or alumni of Suffolk University

Chemistry new product development: An introductory chemistry course featuring science innovation and entrepreneurshipBenita M. Comeau1, Doris I. Lewis1, Sushil Bhatia2

1) Suffolk University Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, 2) Suffolk University Sawyer Business School

✤ Goal: Increase understanding and interest in chemistry while also better serving the undergraduates

✤ Approach: Novel chemistry course developed by a chemical engineer educator, a chemist-innovator-entrepreneur, and a chemistry professor✤ Chemistry and business taught together by case studies of

chemical products✤ Course culminates with capstone project and participation in the Suffolk

University New Product Innovation Competition

✤ Very Positive Student Feedback✤ Course filled within 15 minutes of registration and all students would

recommend the course to a friend✤ Increased appreciation and understanding of chemistry

Suffolk University: A private university in the heart of Boston✦ College of Arts and Sciences undergrads: 3704✦ Sawyer Business School: 2204✦ Chemistry/Biochemistry majors: 73

Why the need for another chemistry course?✦ All undergrads have a science requirement but only one chemistry

course directed at non-majors✦ Chem 101 serves about 100 students over 2 semesters

Chemistry with Business Minor✦ Interesting yet underutilized track with only 1 student

participating over last several years✦ Can use new course as foundation for minor and to gauge potential

Teach chemistry and business principles using case studies✦ Business by Ferrell, Hirt and Ferell✦ Chemistry e-textbook by D. Lewis, Good Chemistry I and II✦ http://blogs.cas.suffolk.edu/dorislewis/books✦ Case study readings

The Teaching Team✦ A combination of chemistry, business,

innovation, entrepreneurship, and pedagogy

Brainstorm ideas- Need to cover a range of introductory chemistry and business topics- Select case studies that are relevant to daily life with a green & sustainable theme

Judging CriteriaHow bold/fresh is the concept?How persuasive and coherent is the concept?How does the concept meet the customerʼs need?How compelling are the conceptsʼ quantitative and qualitative benefits?Does the product have “green” environmental features?How does the concept provide a unique competitive advantage?What are the risks? Are these risks addressed?

Awards1st Prize: $35002nd Prize: $10003rd Prize: $500Urvashi Bhatia Green Product Award: $2500 plus access to advising services donated by venture capital firms, IP law firms, CPA firms and other industry experts for one yearMGT 101 Award: $1000

Units Cases Chemistry Concepts Business TopicsI: The Elements in Chemical Product Development

A123 Systems ElementsChemical and Electrical Energy

Introduction to business concepts

II: Green & Sustainable Product Development Using Polymers

Dow Chemical- polyethylene from sugar caneThe office paper DecopierThe Nanodecopier

Polymers and Biochemistry

Entrepreneurship and small business

III: Sustainable Packaging and Refrigeration

Coca-cola: Global Responsibility

Polymer recycling Refrigerants and coolants

Corporate complianceEthics and Social ResponsibilityAccountingMoney and Financial SystemsMarketing

IV: Innovations in New Drug Development

Eli Lilly innovations in new drug development using combinatorial chemistry

Pharmaceuticals Operations, supply chain, and quality

Class participation: 25% Brief papers: 20%Tests: 20%Final presentation: 20%Design competition: 10%Meet professor: 5%

All students must participate in New Product Innovation Competition!

Your Ideas can Change your Life

The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies presents the 4th Annual

New ProductINNOVATION COMPETITION

New ProductINNOVATION COMPETITION

Awards CeremonyFriday, March 5, 2010

Event Program

www.suffolk.edu/newproduct

Summary

Generate, store and sell energy from trans-ocean vessels

Spray on surgical gloves

More efficient contact lens system- only add water

Biodegradable plastic from sugar polymers for practical indoor applications

Creating algae fuel on rooftops

Temperature sensitive ink cups for hot liquids

Edible toothpaste with natural sweeteners

Over 300 entries!★ 31 judges from around the

country and world★ Winning proposals:★ Green Light: energy

efficient hanging bar light★ CV Scenic: software program to

personalize cardio workouts★ CityPed: vehicle sharing

Motivation

Course Design

Units and Case Studies

Class Work and Evaluation New Product Innovation CompetitionYour Ideas can Change your Life

Innovation Competition: Judging and Awards

Example Entries from Chemistry New Product Development Class

2010 Award SummaryImproved feelings about chemistry

Perception of chemistry: 3.75 to 4.2 (out of 5)Importance of chemistry: 2.4 to 2.95 (out of 3)

All students reported that they learned something that they shared with family and friendsAll students would recommend this course to a friendAll students were highly positive about Professor Bhatiaʼs experience as an entrepreneur

Student Feedback

Room For Improvement• Many students expressed

interest in adding a lab component

• Find balance between chemistry and business

• Several students concerned that chemistry units advanced too quickly

• More organized readings

Next Steps• Course to be run in Spring 2011• Re-visit case studies and choose

ones to suit new instructor• Review e-text and documents• Better organization for the

reading• Highlight key chemistry concepts

with lab or in-class demonstrations

Long Term Goals• Expand course offering to more

than once a year• Perhaps add a section with a lab • Use this course as springboard

to strengthen and expand business-chemistry department collaboration

entrepreneur

chemistry

education

chemical engineerproduct development

chemistry e-textbook

master teacherchemists

businessexperience

inventor

teach introchemistry

Sushil

Benita

Doris

author

Future Work

Thank you to everyone who helped with this new course, especially Dr. Martha Richmond and Courtney Carrabino from the Suffolk University Chemistry & Biochemistry department and Dean William OʼNeill of the Sawyer Business School.