Innovation Corps: Start with a Dream Team

My Innovation Corps idea continues to intrigue me. If I were Arne Duncan, the new Education Secretary, I think I would want to plan an ideation session with a mix of visionaries from scientific, technical and artistic fields, as well as some entrepreneurs who are especially skilled at turning good ideas into products.

Here are some possibilities off the top of my head.

Eric Drexler, one of the pioneers in nanotechnology, whose 1991 book Engines of Creation clearly explained the benefits of the technology.

George Lucas, creator of Star Wars and sponsor of Edutopia.

Charles Burnette, a design educator who developed Design-Based Education. Design thinking, he says, is "a process of creative and critical thinking that allows information and ideas to be organized, decisions to be made, situations to be improved, and knowledge to be gained."

David Perkins former director of Harvard's Project Zero or its current director Steve Seidel. The mission of Project Zero is "to understand and enhance learning, thinking, and creativity in the arts, as well as humanistic and scientific disciplines, at the individual and institutional levels." Lois Hetland, author of Studio Thinking (see my earlier post)

A journalist like Sara Dickenson Quinn of the Washington Post, who specializes in visual communications. (I know there are a few more journalists I would add, but I will think some more and do a later post.)

Tom Kelley from top design firm IDEO to share his ideas about innovative workplaces and teams.

Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman, Product Development, and Chairman, GM North America.

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs

Some social entrepreneurs—people whose ideas have helped make the world more livable. One that comes to mind is Muhammad Yunus whose idea of extending microcredit—very small loans to very poor people in undeveloped countries—has changed so many lives.

Yo Yo Ma, the brilliant cellist who also is an expert on collaboration and global sensibility.

Eric Booth, a teaching artist and author of The Everyday Work of Art

A great installation artist like Ilya Kabakov (imagine what his creations take in terms of both imagination and practical skills).

Someone like Tori Amos, who is always pushing the envelope and always producing something new artistically across disciplines.

I know there are many more good candidates. What do you think?