Surfacing Ideas and Impact through Inclusive Storytelling

NASA’s Space Apps Challenge brings diverse voices into the innovation process

Complex problems can’t be solved by generating a single solution—many solutions must be considered. That’s why we need diverse perspectives and voices to participate in the innovation process. Bringing together 15,000 people from more than 150 countries to solve challenges related to space travel, NASA’s Space Apps Challenge is the world’s largest hackathon, and a good example of how bringing people from under-represented communities into the innovation process can produce game-changing ideas. Matt Scott, former community manager and director of storytelling for Space Apps, shares the progress that NASA has made in recognizing past contributions of minorities in its ranks (like those of the Black women mathematicians during the 1960s as featured in the film Hidden Figures), the success of recent Space Apps participants, and his perspective on the importance of inclusion moving forward.

About the speaker

Matt Scott is a social impact storyteller and engagement specialist. He served as global community manager for the NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge and is founder of the Let’s Care media series. He is currently manager of storytelling and engagement at Project Drawdown.

Related learning

Discover more about the possibilities for storytelling, diversity, and inclusion with these AU resources:

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