Ann Arbor :
Featured Stories
Concentrate Staff
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Over the last few years TechArb, an incubator for student entrepreneurs, has been quietly nurturing the next generation of tech start-ups. Concentrate's May speaker event will feature the folks behind this innovative effort and student groups pitching their business concepts to the crowd. Sign up now for Thursday's Happy Hour event!
Amanda Taylor
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Continuing our series of new college grads giving their post-grad outlooks, EMU alumna Amanda Taylor, who chose to remain rooted in Ann Arbor for her graduate psychology studies, writes on the area's educational and socioeconomic diversity.
Natalie Burg
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Got a craft you can teach to others? Always wanted to learn an unconventional skill, say, hula-hoop construction or spring foraging? The Ann Arbor Free Skool is dedicated to pairing knowledge with knowledge-seekers, free of charge.
Tanya Muzumdar
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
There are vocations and there are avocations. For Joseph Zettelmaier it's clear which is which. By day the Milan, Mich. resident works in data entry. But on stage he's an award-winning playwright with 30 plays to his name. Concentrate's Tanya Muzumdar puts the spotlight on this theatrical wordsmith.
Patrick Dunn
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
While most kids are wasting their time mastering Xbox, high schoolers Albert Foo and Sharath Anand are developing a new fire-fighting technology, one that extinguishes interior flames from outside the building. So far ExtinBreachR has landed them top science fair awards and a couple of small grants. But they've got bigger plans.
Dennis Archambault
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Sometimes a step back in time can be a step into the future. At the Michigan Folk School in Superior Township, back-to-basics living isn't just seen as nostalgia for arts and crafts, but rather a community-based counterbalance to the alienating advances of technology.
Natalie Burg
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Some might call it an accidental career, but when a passionate hobby becomes a successful business it seems more like an inevitability. Anuja Rajendra's zeal for fitness and Bollywood-style dance inspired BollyFit, both a lifestyle and growing brand.
Patrick Dunn
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
If you're wondering when we'll finally get that holodeck Star Trek promised, the folks at University of Michigan's 3D Lab could probably give you a decent ETA. From 3D printers to digital models to immersive virtual environments, these tech wizards are pushing the 3D envelope. And their technology is accessible to students and members of the public alike.
Patrick Dunn
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Why pedal on an elliptical or curl dumbells when you can fly? The newly opened Ann Arbor Aviary provides acrobatic exercises for those who'd rather soar with eagles than pump iron with gym rats. Silks, ropes, and trapezes are the equipment of choice for this alternative, aerial gym.
Richard Retyi
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
The power of dogonomics is undeniable, and Ann Arbor is finally beginning to recognize the fact. From pup salons to doggie daycare centers to off-leash parks, canines and their owners are expecting more and better accommodations. So, how are we doing when it comes to man's best friend? Concentrate's Richard Retyi looks for answers.
Jon Zemke
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
The risks to startup culture are a two-way street. Not only must you convince investors to make a calculated leap of faith, you also need talent that's willing to commit sweat equity to an uncertain future. The Adams Entrepreneur Fellowship Program is looking to make the second half of that equation a little easier while applying a slow-food strategy toward fostering local entrepreneurship.
Tanya Muzumdar
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Meet Michael Barera, the Wikipedian in Residence at U-M's Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Not only is he a member of the first student Wikipedia club in the country, he is the first Wikipedian resident ever appointed to a presidential library. Concentrate's Tanya Muzumdar chats with him about what that means, where he goes next, and which wiki entries he's been involved with and inspired by.
Concentrate Staff
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
If you've ever read Mark Maynard's blog you may have stumbled across his exit interviews with soon-to-be ex-locals. The Concentrate Speaker Series has asked Mark to bring his blog to life by interviewing a panel of Ann Arborites about their plans to move away. Why are they leaving? What might get them to stay? What will they miss? What are they eager to leave behind? For these answers and more SIGN UP NOW for TOMRROW'S event!
Tanya Muzumdar
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Last month, A2 Ethics held their third annual Big Ethical Question Slam. Concentrate's Tanya Muzumdar talks with the winners about the community's questions, the team's answers and what strategies are involved when a competition asks you to tackle the weightiest of issues.
Natalie Burg
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
In discussing the need for affordable housing in Ann Arbor, recent conversations have ranged from planned density to public assistance to developer incentives. But what about revisiting the idea of allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs)? Santa Cruz, CA has taken the lead with these small, apartment-sized houses, creating a program that cities around the nation are emulating.