The inaugural Northwestern Problem Summit invites the Northwestern community to share the big, pressing problems in their disciplines with hundreds of Northwestern students from across the University, eager to solve big problems in the world. Our goal is to expose students to dozens of problems worth solving and focus their energy and enthusiasm on these important issues.

On February 28th, 2026, the Northwestern Problem Summit will consist of presentations from the Northwestern community sharing the big problems that they hope will inspire action from Northwestern's ambitious, entrepreneurial students. Students will have an opportunity to ask questions and connect with others interested in solving the same problems.

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Join us at the Spring 2026 DTC Expo to see how first-year engineering students have collaborated with community partners to solve real-world design challenges! Explore their creative solutions and engage with student teams as they present their work. The Expo will take place on the Ground Floor and Basement of the Ford Building, with presentations running from 9:30-11:30 AM and 1:30-3:30 PM. We hope to see you there!