Inaugural Waves of Innovation Winners Announced
Pepperdine Magazine is the feature magazine for Pepperdine University and its growing community of alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends.
In the fall of 2013, Pepperdine University launched Waves of Innovation, a cornerstone
initiative created to inspire, engage, and motivate faculty, staff, and students to
rethink Pepperdine, to share their innovative ideas, and to help shape its future.
Winners of Pepperdine's inaugural Waves of Innovation were announced at the Waves
of Innovation Talks held on January 15 at Smothers Theatre in Malibu.
Of the eight finalists who presented their ideas to President Benton and the Waves
of Innovation Committee, six were awarded substantial grants to implement their ideas
to improve Pepperdine and make it a more agile and sustainable institution.
"The Waves of Innovation Talks brought together our community, faculty, staff, and
students from all five schools to hear eight inspirational talks about how to make
Pepperdine a better place," reflects Lee Kats, vice provost for research and strategic
initiatives and Frank R. Seaver Chair in Natural Science.
"Each talk presented a unique approach to change; change that could help others, our
students and our university. President Benton and the Waves of Innovation Committee
were so impressed with the ideas they heard last night that they made six different
awards, each over $25,000."