Innovation Plaza to Open This Fall, Include Innovators Walk of Fame

The Innovators walk of Fame will commemorate female innovators.

By Angelly Carrión· 8/25/2015, 6:00 a.m.

Innovation Plaza, Innovators Walk of Fame rendering | Courtesy of University City Science Center

Let’s rewind to early summer for a moment. In June, we told you all about the University City Science Center‘s expanding campus: the upcoming apartments, retail, restaurants, office and lab space (of course) and new walkable streets and a public square slated to “give the 14-acre campus a sense of place.” All well and good, right?

Indeed. Now, tack onto that news of one of the many indoor and outdoor gathering spots planned with the expansion opening this fall: Innovation Plaza.

Sited on the walkway along 37th Street between Market and Chestnut, according to a press release, Innovation Plaza will include an Innovators Walk of Fame (rendered above) with free WiFi, chess tables and greenery. Originally launched in 2013, the Walk was conceived from an effort to honor the Science Center’s 50th anniversary and with the idea of highlighting the Greater Philadelphia region’s diverse tradition of discovery and innovation.

This time around, the 2015 class of the Innovators walk of Fame will commemorate female innovators. From the press release:

As the Science Center examines Philadelphia’s innovation story through different prisms, the 2015 class of the Innovators Walk of Fame honors and celebrates the female innovators who have transformed the world with their ideas, inventions, and creativity. In an open call for nominations, submissions addressed how our world would be different “if not for this woman.” The honorees will be announced on October 15^th at the Nucleus 2015 celebration at the Science Center.

Last week, Flying Kite reported this second call for female nominees – the nomination box closed in June – brought in 68 names, with the honorees being zeroed down to five in July. As mentioned in the release, their names will be revealed in October.

Innovation Plaza’s creation was made possible with the support of International House Philadelphia, University Lutheran Church, PECO, the National Board of Medical Examiners, and the 3624 Condominium Association.