At iZone, we believe every idea has the potential to make an impact. The Barbara J. Burger iZone is a collaborative community where University of Rochester students can explore bold ideas, solve real-world problems, and bring their projects to life.
Whether you’re just starting with a spark of inspiration or ready to test out a prototype, iZone gives you the tools, space, and support you need to take the next step.
Programming
Consulting
One-on-one peer support to help you shape your ideas, overcome challenges, and connect with the right resources.
Workshop & Classes
Hands-on experiences that teach you new mindsets and creative problem-solving skills you can use anywhere.
Events Gallery
our events are designed to inspire, connect, and grow your ideas.
Pitch Imperfect
Pitch Imperfect is an annual iZone event where students present a completely random slide deck on the spot to a small audience and a panel of judges. With unpredictable, often hilarious slides, participants are challenged to think on their feet, adapt quickly, and make their presentation as convincing as possible.
MAG to Bag
The MAG to Bag is a creative drop-in workshop collaboration between the University of Rochester iZone and the Memorial Art Gallery (MAG). It brings hands-on printmaking directly to the River Campus, allowing students to design, carve custom stamps, and stamp their own unique tote bags.
Escape Room
The iZone Student-Led Escape Room Series is an interactive, experiential pop-up event hosted on Meliora Weekend. Entirely designed, built, and executed by a student led team, the multi-day initiative transforms iZone studio into a themed puzzle room. The event invites teams of students, faculty, and alumni to test their problem-solving and collaboration skills under pressure.
iMAGine
In the Zone
In the Zone was a multi-week iZone DJ evening series hosted in iZone. Designed to blend student creativity with community wellness, the event series turned the library into a vibrant, high-energy venue. Over several weeks, the series showcased performances from over six student DJs.The event invited students from all academic backgrounds to listen, hang out, and actively try their hand at live DJing.
Curlinarizone
The initiative connected students with local culinary startups and food innovators. A primary installment featured a partnership with RIT’s Center for Urban Entrepreneurship (CUE) to host Chef Degwanda "Dede" Gause, founder of the Rochester-based eatery DDEggs & More. There event had a focus on live culinary demonstrations, cultural history education (specifically highlighting the heritage of soul food), and fostering meaningful student connections with local minority- and urban-owned business enterprises.
Food for Thought
Students from CASC 161: Building Impactful Ideas teamed up with University of Rochester peers and community partners at iZone to address pressing regional issues. Focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for climate action and food security, participants applied systems thinking to map out localized problems. The collaborative workshop allowed student change-makers to share practical tools and pitch actionable ideas alongside expert advisors.
Venture Vibes
Venture Vibes was an incubator initiative hosted by the Barbara J. Burger iZone to accelerate student-led concepts. Designed for ambitious entrepreneurs, visionaries, and change-makers, the program provided a collaborative framework for participants to pitch ideas, cultivate essential business development skills, and sharpen leadership capabilities. Through curated cohort sessions, student founders engaged in rigorous peer feedback, refined their value propositions, and established a supportive professional network within the University of Rochester innovation community.
Scare Fair
Scare Fair is one of the University of Rochester's most beloved annual fall traditions, operating as a massive, Halloween-themed library open house. As a core destination on the campus-wide scavenger hunt, the Barbara J. Burger iZone transforms its collaborative workspace into an immersive, high-energy zone featuring themed activities, student-led problem-solving challenges, and interactive stations. By participating in the iZone's custom event activations, students explore essential campus innovation resources and earn the required stamps to gain rare access to the top of the iconic Rush Rhees Tower.
