Innovation Lab

Visiting Innovators Program

List of 1 items.

  • Visiting Innovators

    Since the Bryan Lab's opening in 2013
The Bryan Innovation Lab’s Visiting Innovators program brings real-world experts to Steward’s campus and provides educational opportunities for our students and families that they would likely not have anywhere else.

The program proudly features national and local experts who are leading thinkers and change-makers in their fields. While on campus, these innovators help students, faculty, and the Richmond community develop a deeper understanding of world issues. Visiting Innovators share their expertise in a variety of ways that highlight thinking “outside the box” — speaking to our students, working with classes on relevant issues, making presentations that are open to the Richmond community, and conducting workshops for families. We often maintain long-term relationships with previous Visiting Innovators, as they continue to make strides advancing their missions to empower others to make the world a better place.

Quick Links

Spring 2026 Visiting Innovator

On March 23, Steward will welcome Richard James MacCowan, founder of the Biomimicry Innovation Lab, who brings a global perspective on how nature inspires innovation.

Biomimicry Fair, 3:10-4 p.m.
Steward families are invited to meet Mr. MacCowan at dismissal in the Bryan Innovation Lab. Come out and chat with Mr. MacCowan and engage in an interactive exhibit that includes termite mound building, seed parachute design and testing, hornet nest building, and more! RSVP requested but not required.  
Designing with Nature: A Biomimicry Keynote, 5:30-7 p.m.
Parents, Upper Schoolers, and the Richmond design community are invited to a public keynote by Richard James MacCowan, founder of the Biomimicry Innovation Lab, who brings a global perspective on how nature inspires innovation. Mr. MacCowan will discuss the connections between nature and design. Please RSVP to the evening keynote. 

Previous Innovators Who Visited Steward

Innovator in Residence

List of 1 items.

  • About the Innovator in Residence

    This year marks the launch of the Innovator in Residence program, an initiative that invites creative professionals to collaborate with the Steward community over an extended period. Unlike short-term visits, this residency model allows for deeper, more targeted work with smaller groups of students and faculty — building lasting connections between innovation, collaboration, and learning.

    Our first Innovator in Residence, Matt White, founder of Spacebomb Studio, leads an ongoing exploration of the connections between sound, nature, and human creativity. Together with students and the broader Steward community, Matt is capturing the voices, rhythms, and ambient sounds that define daily life on campus — transforming them into musical and artistic expressions that reflect the spirit of Steward.

    As the work unfolds, Matt collaborates with students and faculty across multiple disciplines, including the Entrepreneurship Studies program and the Bryan Innovation Lab, to bring creative ideas to life. The project will culminate in a community-made album composed entirely of Steward-sourced sounds and performances — an evolving portrait of what it means to learn, create, and connect through sound.

Questions? Contact

List of 2 members.

  • Photo of Bradley Kovach

    Brad Kovach 

    Dean of BIL Engineering and Technology
    (804) 740-3394 x2326
  • Photo of Megan Young

    Megan Young 

    Dean of BIL Programs and Innovation Strategy
    (804) 740-3394 x6615

Our Supporters

Special programming is often available to the Richmond community, and we value partnering with other schools and organizations that are interested in gaining expert perspectives to foster innovative education and insight into a variety of topics.

We thank our sponsors and partners for helping support innovative programming. We believe that our pursuit of innovative education should be collaborative and inclusive; support for our programming helps support sharing this amazing resource with our community.

If you are interested in supporting innovative programming for our community, please contact development@stewardschool.org.

Past Event Photos

The Steward School

11600 Gayton Road, Richmond, Virginia 23238-3423
804.740.3394 | info@stewardschool.org
Inspire the future.
Copyright 2025 The Steward School