The broad goal of The Innovation Lab and Grand Challenges (ILGC) course is to enable students to observe, relate to, and solve societal challenges in a sustainable manner using the technical and engineering skills they will learn concurrently in other courses. These challenges may be drawn from their surroundings, including

the campus where they will live for the next four years,
the place they belong to: their city, town, village, state, or country, or
global challenges identified through competitions and other opportunities they may aspire to pursue.

The course explores how simple observations can lead to ideas, solutions and ultimately products that address real-world problems. Through these success stories, students engage in discussions on empathy, observation, problem-solving techniques, lateral thinking and teamwork. The course also acts as a catalyst, encouraging students to identify and address similar opportunities and challenges in their own surroundings.