Concept draft · Not live. Linked programs and policies are real; counts, sample data, and forms are placeholders.

terrierLabs

Boston University · Programs · Ideas · People

Where ideas meet Boston University.

terrierLabs is your front door to innovation at Boston University. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni: find the programs, people, and resources already here, and bring your ideas to the teams shaping what's next.

Find your way in Pitch an idea
Programs to explore
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Ways to get involved
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Minutes to pitch an idea
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Promises we can't keep
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I'm a student Join a project or a hackathon, or become a beta tester. Get credit, mentors, and real problems. I'm faculty Sponsor student teams, bring a problem to a clinic, or tap research computing. I'm staff Turn a problem in your office into a student project, or become a beta tester. I'm an alum Mentor a student team, submit a project, or share what BU should explore. I have an idea Pitch something BU should explore. No code, no plan, no polish required. I want early access Become a beta tester. Use new BU tools early, and weigh in on what gets built next.

01 / Programs

Find your way in.

BU already runs programs for this, with mentors, credit, funding, and support. Filter by who you are.

Innovate@BU

BU's hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, with programs, coaching, and competitions.

Rolling · All of BU bu.edu/innovate ↗

BU Spark! projects

Semester-long projects with real clients, faculty instructors, and credit.

Semester · Credit-bearing bu.edu/spark ↗

Hackathons

Team up on real BU challenges with mentors, judges, and people you haven't met yet.

Event · Team-based Upcoming events ↗

Computing & Data Sciences

Courses, clinics, and faculty-led projects across data science, AI, and computing.

Semester · Faculty-led bu.edu/cds-faculty ↗

Submit a project

Have a real problem? Spark! matches partners with student teams in computing and data science.

Each semester · No- or low-cost Submit to Spark! ↗

Mentor a team

Coach Spark! student teams as an innovation mentor, technical specialist, or judge.

Rolling · Volunteer Become a mentor ↗

Propose an IS&T project

BU staff: turn a problem in your office into a student project through IS&T's Student & Faculty Projects program.

Each semester · Staff sponsor Propose a project ↗

Beta testers

Try new BU tools early, weigh in on the roadmap, and tell the teams behind them what's confusing or broken.

Open to join · 15 min+ Join below ↓

Spark! consultations

One-on-one advice on a project or idea from Spark! experts in software and data science.

Office hours · Book a slot Book a consult ↗

Hariri Institute

BU's hub for interdisciplinary computing research, collaborations, and events.

Ongoing · Research bu.edu/hic ↗

AI tools at BU

TerrierGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Claude, with guidance on using them with BU data.

Available now · BU Login TechWeb ↗

Research Computing

Need GPUs or serious compute? The Shared Computing Cluster supports BU-affiliated research.

Project-based · Faculty sponsor bu.edu/tech ↗

02 / Ideas & testing

Help shape what's next.

Pitch an idea BU should explore, or try new tools before they launch. No code required.

// Pitch an idea · everyone

What should BU explore?

Big or small, rough or polished. We read ideas in batches and use them to shape what BU works on next. We can't reply to each one or promise to act on it.

By submitting, you agree BU may use, adapt, or pursue this or similar ideas, with no obligation to you. Good ideas can take a semester or more to show up anywhere. Idea terms

// Community ideas · preview

    Preview of a later phase. Sample ideas, not real submissions. Voting opens once we can commit to reviewing the results.

    // What happens to your idea

    We read them in batches.

    Ideas get reviewed together each month, not one at a time.

    Patterns reach the roadmap.

    When lots of people want the same thing, the teams that own BU's tools hear about it.

    Some become student projects.

    A good idea with a BU sponsor can turn into a Spark! or hackathon challenge.

    // Beta tester program · students & staff

    See it first. Shape what ships.

    Beta testers try new BU tools early and weigh in on the roadmap. Joining takes two minutes. Stay active, and you can move up.

    Beta testers · open to students & staff Try it, then vote on what's next

    Use features once they reach beta, and help decide what goes on the roadmap.

    15–30 min tests · about one invite a month · skip any
    Alpha group · small, by invitation Help set the roadmap

    Guided sessions with the product teams, with prototypes and designs before they reach beta.

    Capped each semester · monthly sessions
    01 · Early accessUse it first

    New mobile app and portal features, AI tools, and open data endpoints, before they're released.

    02 · Your sayVote on the roadmap

    Beta testers help pick what gets built next. The alpha group talks it through with the teams.

    03 · Direct lineTalk to the builders

    Your feedback goes straight to the product team, not into a survey queue.

    04 · GearWear it

    Laptop stickers when you join. Stay active and earn gear people notice.

    // What we ask in return

    • Keep it under wraps. Pre-release means no screenshots or posts until it ships.
    • Be honest. "This is confusing" is the most useful thing you can say.
    • Stay in touch. Testers who skip a whole semester roll off, and can rejoin.
    1. JoinTwo minutes, below
    2. Test & voteInvites land in your inbox
    3. Move upAlpha group, ambassador, or developer
    4. Earn your gearStickers first, the good stuff later

    // Join the beta testers

    Get me early access to…
    I use… (helps us test on real setups)

    We only use your info to run the beta tester program, and you can leave any time. Alpha group spots are limited each semester.

    // On the horizon · not live yet

    Bounties.

    Pitching is how you bring problems to BU. Bounties would flip it: BU posts the problem, and you take a shot at it. We're exploring two kinds.

    Challenge bountiesExploring

    Open problems BU hasn't cracked, posted for anyone with a BU Login to take on.

    Example challenge

    Map how BU fits together

    An enterprise ontology: how buildings, courses, programs, offices, and events connect. We think it's the future and haven't cracked it. We'd rather see ten takes than one, and blend the best of them.

    Bug bountiesExploring

    Find a flaw in a BU tool, report it the right way, and get credit for making BU safer.

    Rules come first. Until a program is announced, please don't test or probe BU systems. It isn't covered, and it can get you in real trouble.

    03 / Open data

    Open data, ready to use.

    Public BU information, connected in one graph and opening later to anyone with an active BU Login: the course catalog, dining, housing, campus activity, and more. Pick a node to see what's in it.

    // Proposed v1 open data graph · specs are drafts

    L0 · Public

    GET

    Connects to

    // Not on the graph, and never will be

    If your idea needs any of this, it isn't a side project. Pitch it, and we'll route it to the office that owns the data.

    • Student records
    • Grades & transcripts
    • Degree audits
    • Advising notes
    • Personal schedules
    • Room assignments
    • Card swipes
    • Anyone's location

    Common ideas, channeled.

    We see the same ideas every semester. Here's what you can use for each one, what's off-limits, and where the idea should go.

    The ideaOpen data you can useOff-limitsWhere it goes

    // Developer accounts · opening later · BU Login

    Get on the list.

    Open data APIs are on the way. Developer accounts will be free for current BU students, faculty, and staff. Sign in with your BU Login to join the waitlist, and tell us what you'd build. We'll email you when keys open.

    1 Sign in

    BU single sign-on with Duo. We never see your password.

    2 Tell us what you'd build with it

    Which data?

    // Why we ask

    So we can connect you.

    If you're working on something, chances are someone at BU is working on something like it. Knowing what you're up to lets us point you to the right program, sponsor, or team, and tells the data owners what's actually useful.

    When accounts open

    • Free keys, one per project
    • Usage, key rotation, and revocation in one place
    • Endpoint changes and new datasets, by email

    The terms draft

    • 1,000 requests a day per key
    • Credit the data: "Source: Boston University"
    • Endpoints may change, with notice
    • No BU name, logo, or implied endorsement
    • No combining with data from other sources to identify people
    • No sharing keys or accounts

    Everything else is classified.

    Public data is one of four tiers. Select a tier to see who can use it.

    Who can access

    For student and outside projects

    Examples

    Status

    Source: BU Data Protection Standards ↗

    04 / Guardrails

    Innovate responsibly.

    Whatever you're working on, these protect the people whose data and trust are involved, and they protect you.

    Do

    • Start with a program. Most ideas go further with a sponsor.
    • Collect only what you need, and say plainly why
    • Make it clear what's official BU and what isn't
    • Design for accessibility from day one
    • Use BU-approved AI tools for anything beyond public data
    • Tell us early if your work touches BU data, systems, or students

    Don't

    • Use student records or data from University systems
    • Scrape BU sites or student portals
    • Ask for or store anyone's BU password
    • Use BU names or logos, or imply official endorsement
    • Sell or share people's data
    • Ask BU offices or advisors to promote unofficial tools

    The one-sheets.

    The rules behind the guardrails, each in a one-minute read. Open one for the short version, then go to the source to learn more.

    FERPA

    Student records

    Education records are protected by federal law. No exceptions.

    Read the one-sheet →     DATA

    Data classification

    Public, Internal, Confidential, Restricted Use. The tier decides what you can touch.

    Read the one-sheet →     DEV

    Student developer guidelines

    IS&T's rules for students using University services and data.

    Read the one-sheet →     AI

    AI tools

    Know which AI tools are approved for which data before you use them.

    Read the one-sheet →     A11Y

    Accessibility

    If people use it, everyone has to be able to use it.

    Read the one-sheet →     BRAND

    Name & logo

    Made at BU isn't the same as made by BU. Don't use University marks without approval.

    Read the one-sheet →
    1 min read

    // What it is

    // Why it matters to you

    // Do

      // Don't

        // In practice

        A plain-language summary, not the policy itself. If they ever disagree, the source wins.

        // What terrierLabs doesn't do

        • No endorsement. Listing a program here isn't a sign-off on any independent project.
        • No hosting or BU Login for independent apps or tools.
        • No promise to act on ideas. We read them all. Not every idea moves forward.
        • Student data is off the table. Always.

        // Already working on something?

        Tell us early.

        If your project touches BU (our data, our name, or our students), let us know. You'll get the guardrails checklist and a disclaimer template by email.

        Why ask about money? Some free tools pay their way with ads or user data. That changes how BU can talk about them.

        // What happens next

        You get

        • The guardrails checklist, by email
        • A disclaimer template for unofficial tools
        • Pointers to Spark!, CDS, and faculty sponsors
        • A heads-up if something creates real risk

        We don't

        • Review or approve your work
        • Host it or add BU Login to it
        • Endorse or promote it
        • Promise BU will adopt it

        05 / Ecosystem

        Where to go next.

        terrierLabs is the map. These are the places it points to.

        bu.edu/innovateInnovate@BUInnovation and entrepreneurship at BU bu.edu/sparkBU Spark!Experiential learning in tech bu.edu/cds-facultyComputing & Data SciencesFaculty of Computing & Data Sciences bu.edu/hicHariri InstituteComputing research at BU bu.edu/techAI at BUApproved AI tools and guidance bu.edu/techCloud for StudentsIS&T cloud access for coursework bu.edu/tech/support/researchResearch ComputingShared Computing Cluster bu.edu/policiesData Protection StandardsThe fine print, in full

        // FAQ

        Quick answers.

        How do I get involved with innovation at BU?

        Start with the program that fits who you are. Students often start with BU Spark! or a hackathon. Faculty and staff can sponsor or propose student projects. Alumni can mentor teams or submit a project. Not sure yet? Pitch an idea, or become a beta tester.

        I'm an alum. How can I get involved?

        Mentor student teams or submit a project through BU Spark!, explore Innovate@BU, or pitch an idea here. Most alumni engagement runs through programs that already exist. Open data API keys need an active BU Login.

        What happens to my idea?

        We read ideas in batches each month. Patterns go to the teams that own BU's tools and roadmaps, and some ideas become student project challenges. We can't reply to each one or promise to act on it.

        Can I use BU data?

        Public data, yes. Open data APIs are coming: developer accounts will open later to anyone with an active BU Login, and you can join the waitlist now. Student records and other non-public data aren't available for student or outside projects. Sponsored programs work with data owners on what's appropriate.

        I'm already working on a tool. Will BU adopt it?

        Probably not, and that's not a knock on your work. BU adopts a tool only when a BU office wants to own it for the long term and it passes security, privacy, and accessibility reviews. If you want support, look at BU Spark! or Computing & Data Sciences, and tell us about it.

        Who owns the IP?

        It depends on the program. Coursework and Spark! projects have their own IP terms. Check with your program lead before you start, not after.

        > ready_

        Bring your ideas to BU.

        Find a program, pitch an idea, or become a beta tester.

        Find a program Pitch an idea