Ignite Student Clubs
Brought together by the Ignite Student Council, Ignite supports a wide range of tech-focused clubs on campus where students can find community, build skills, and expand their networks. Made up of student leaders and representatives from each club, the council provides support for funding, recruitment, outreach, and operational challenges.
Get a glimpse into the world of Ignite and the clubs under this umbrella. We encourage you to contact clubs directly to learn more about what they do and how to get involved.
If you’re interested in starting a new club or reviving an inactive one, please use this FORM to contact the Ignite Leadership team.
Current Ignite clubs can access the internal Ignite Student Dashboard by clicking the button below:
Ignite DashboardIgnite Clubs
AI Society
The Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Club invites students to interactively learn the technical side of AI through writing our own ML algorithms, LLMs, and classification models. All skill levels are welcome, please join and learn alongside us!
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
The Boston University branch of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics is a professional society dedicated to supporting BU engineers in finding lifelong resources and opportunities in the field through conference, speaker events, and our participation in the international AIAA Design, Build, Fly Competition.
AI Safety & Alignment
Boston University AI Safety Association (AISA) aims to study anything involving AI safety — from governance, to international policy, to mechanistic interpretability. We provide a community for all members of the BU community to discuss and research relevant risks from advanced AI. We host weekly member meetings to discuss current developments and research the most effective strategies to deploy AI safety through public policy and technical alignment.
Biomedical Engineering Society
The Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) fosters an inclusive community united by a passion for biomedical engineering, welcoming not just biomedical engineers but all interested in this dynamic field. We aim to enable knowledge sharing and collaboration across diverse areas, offering activities that showcase recent breakthroughs, enhance education, and promote professional growth. BU BMES is committed to guiding participants through various career pathways, from industry to graduate and medical school, providing essential tools for professional success.
Website | Instagram | LinkedIn
BostonHacks
BostonHacks was started at Boston University in 2015 as a medium sized hackathon with nationwide attendance. We’ve quickly grown into a large-tier international hackathon known for our productive and positive vibes, great sponsor relations, and awesome prizes and swag (unofficially, the best swag in the game).
BU Data Science Association
BU Data Science Association is an organization that aims to develop key Data Science skills to help students supplement their portfolio with hands-on experiences. Our goal is to represent students in the Data Science field and empower them to branch out to discover personal passions and give voice to students pursuing Data Science at Boston University. Our meetings focus around hosting hands-on workshops and professional development events that help prepare students for internships or academia.
BU Quantum
We’re a community of students at Boston University passionate about quantum computing, from both a theory and computational perspective. We host lessons, share resources, and collaborate on projects at the cutting edge of the field.
BU Rocket Propulsion Group (BUPRG)
BUPRG is student-run team that builds rockets and rocket engines, focusing specifically on liquid bipropellant engines, with our ultimate goal being to send a liquid-fueled rocket to the edge of space. We develop all our own hardware, electronics, and software in-house, and we are dedicated to developing exceptional engineers through rigorous engineering challenges.
Boston University Information Lab & Design Space (BUILDS)
BUILDS is an inclusive group of students, artists, hackers, and organizers who believe in the do-it-yourself attitude and hacker ethic. Our hackerspace is open to everyone at all hours of the day! We are dedicated to providing every member with the tools and resources they need to pursue their passions.
ColorStack
Computer Science Club
BU Computer Science Club (CSC) aims to help students prepare for their careers by providing a supportive environment for CS and non-CS students alike who share an interest in computer science. We provide resume workshops, and technical interview mocks, along with giving any general computer science help from knowing more about BU CS opportunities to basic programming skills.
CyberSecurity
Our mission is to expand awareness of the critical importance that cybersecurity leadership has on protecting organizations from cyber threats. This will uniquely prepare BU students for careers that increasingly need to be cyber-aware and provide the necessary resources for them to further explore their interest and advance their knowledge.
FORGE Design Studios
Formerly known as BU Design Club, Forge Design Studios is a pre-professional design studio and community at Boston University. Through our workshops and programming, we provide emerging designers with hands-on experience and opportunities for growth and development.
GameDev Club
We aim to provide a comfortable learning space for video game design and development related skills where members work together for a shared goal. The club focuses on many different aspects of game design and development to ensure everyone builds their skills. Through brainstorming sessions, learn how to combine art and technology in creating unique experiences. We also learn about video game development through group work and by developing our own video games, where we are learning more about the utilization of technologies including game engines, programming languages, and artistic tools.
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code is a club that aims to create a judgment-free and approachable space for women to enter into the world of coding. By hosting technical and practical workshops, bringing in guest speakers, and offering free coding classes to students across the country, Girls Who Code helps make coding fun and accessible to everyone.
Hack4Impact
Hack4Impact is a 501(c) nonprofit that builds software for nonprofits on technical teams with a PM and TL. We teach anyone who is interested about the fundamentals of web app and mobile app development from version control to databases and from front-end design to user authentication.
HackHardware
HackHardware is a club focused on bringing together the avenues of hardware and software in engineering, guiding members through these paths with a focus on hands-on projects and interactive discussions. By uniting hardware and software engineering students through hands-on projects and discussions, HackHardware makes engineering accessible to all, regardless of background or experience.
Kappa Theta Pi
Kappa Theta Pi is the first strictly technology based professional fraternity to reach the BU campus. Activities related to KTP hold a primary focus toward building an active community of students with a shared passion for technology. A primary goal of KTP is to allow multiple technology-related specialties to be interwoven to assist all brothers in learning the various facets of tech to which they may drive their future careers. All brothers will be exposed to many forms of technology related occupations, internships, etc and will receive guidance in class scheduling in order to achieve these future goals and reach their full potential.
Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the United States. NSBE, founded in 1975, supports and promotes the aspirations of collegiate and pre-collegiate students and technical professionals in engineering and technology.
PMReady
PMReady aims to help students navigate into the PM world with a smooth transition, give students hands-on experience from ideation to creating an MVP to pitching.
Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers (SASE)
SASE is dedicated to the advancement of Asian heritage scientists and engineers in education and employment so that they can achieve their full career potential. In addition to professional development, SASE also encourages members to contribute to the enhancement of the communities in which they live. SASE membership is open to men and women of all ethnic backgrounds.
Instagram | Discord | LinkedIn | Linktree
Society of Hispanic Engineers (SHPE)
SHPE Boston believes that the New England region, and, in particular, the Greater Boston area, is a premier place in the United States to cultivate and develop Latino leaders for careers in science and engineering due to its fast growing Latino population, its strong STEM educational network, and its high concentration science- and engineering-based companies.
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
Welcome to the Boston University Society of Women Engineers, also known as BU SWE. At BU SWE, our mission is to serve and empower women in STEM, promote the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrate the value of diversity. Our community is open to any and all students who wish to support women within STEM as they flourish in their fields.
Terrier Motorsport
Terrier Motorsport is Boston University’s premier Formula SAE team, competing in the Formula Hybrid design series in the electric category. We are tasked with designing and manufacturing our own all-electric formula-style race car ready to compete at the Formula Hybrid+Electric competition at New Hampshire Motor Speedway each May.
Terrier Ride Engineering Club (TREC)
The Terrier Ride Engineer Club is a club for students to meet the unique and vast career field that exists within the amusement and theme park industry, provide networking opportunities to students, explore and practice with tools and techniques used in the industry, and create a community for theme park enthusiasts.
Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE)
Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) at BU is an honor society dedicated to promoting excellence in technical and computing disciplines. UPE’s chapter at BU has as its main focus the improvement of its member’s technical skills, as to complement the school’s great theoretical teaching.
Women in Computer Science (WiCS)
Women in Computer Science Club at Boston University is designed to encourage women to participate fully in Computer Science by providing a supportive community, informing members about national computing events, drawing a focus on women in technology, offering mentorship via study groups, social activities, networking opportunities and professional events.
Women in Cyber Security (WiCyS)
To promote recruitment, retention and advancement of women students in cybersecurity and to help decrease the gender disparity in the field, while providing support, mentorship, training, networking opportunities and access to industry and academic leaders.
Women in Data Science
WiDS (Women in Data Science) is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the field of data science by empowering women and underrepresented groups.
Inactive Clubs
Interested in reviving a club from the list below? Reach out to the Ignite Leadership Team HERE.
BU Blockchain
BU Blockchain is an inclusive, multifaceted community dedicated to equal education and development in the web3 space. We aim to foster creativity, build a diverse network, and shape a decentralized future together. Through research, development, hackathon participation, and supporting founders – BU Blockchain aims to act as a springboard for all students to unleash their potential in the field.
BU Competitive Computing Club
BUCPC is an undergraduate club that provides a platform for students to enhance their coding, algorithmic, and problem-solving skills through regular practice and participation in coding challenges and competitions. We create a sense of camaraderie and teamwork among members and foster a community of individuals interested in refining their programming skills while on their career development journey.
CleanTech Club
CleanTech Club is a student-led Boston University organization created to bring together those enthusiastic about sustainability and technological innovation. We are a campus group dedicated to cultivating a community and culture around engineering solutions that help the planet.
High Performance Computing
BU High Performance Computing is a club centered around the HPC / Supercomputing field. BUHPC focuses on different topics and projects such as optimizing hardware and software to maximize performance and efficiency, exploring different research projects and current applications of HPC, and attending HPC competitions and conferences. In November 2022, our team competed in the Student Cluster Competition @SC22 and won the highest score on the HPL Benchmark.
Mars Rover Club
The BU Mars Rover Club is BU’s premier robotics and engineering club engaged in the development of an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) for the annual international University Rover Challenge (URC). The rover’s systems include a robust drivetrain, a long-range communications system, an integrated life detection and sample analysis platform, a multi-axis robotic arm, and an autonomous navigation & obstacle avoidance system.
Machine Intelligence Community
Boston University Machine Intelligence Community is an organization focused on providing opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to learn about machine intelligence in a community environment. As a brief history, MIC was founded as a research paper discussion group at MIT in 2016 after being inspired by the AlphaGo versus Lee Sedol match and was brought to BU in April 2017.
Theta Tau
Theta Tau is a professional co-ed engineering fraternity founded at the University of Minnesota in 1904. It is the oldest, largest, and foremost fraternity for engineers that has grown to over 35,000 members and 91 chapters and colonies across the nation since its inception. The purpose of Theta Tau is to instill and maintain a high standard of professionalism among its members, embrace a strong bond of fraternal fellowship, and foster the intellectual pursuits of engineering.