Where will your spark take you?

What began with Alex Osborn, and was shaped through years of close collaboration with Sidney Parnes and Ruth Noller, continues to evolve today at Buffalo State University.

The Center for Applied Imagination's scholars, students, and practitioners explore creative leadership, innovation, well-being, creative preferences, and the relationship between artificial intelligence and human imagination.

Now the story reaches its next chapter. You. What will you do with your spark?

Opportunities for Creativity

Creative Studies Programs

Creativity and Change Leadership, D.P.S.

Creativity and Change Leadership, M.S.

Creativity and Change Leadership, GCP

Applied Creative Thinking and Problem Solving, Microcredential

Creative Education: Innovative Learning, Thinking, and Problem Solving, Microcredential

Teaching for Creativity and Innovation, Microcredential

Creative Studies, Minor

Leadership, Minor

Doctor of Professional Studies Program

Explore Buffalo State University’s first doctoral program! This applied doctorate emphasizes the integration of theory and research with professional practice, enabling students to address complex, real-world challenges while generating knowledge that has immediate relevance and impact in organizational, educational, and community settings.

See Requirements

Creative Education Foundation

The Creative Education Foundation (CEF) teaches adults and children in organizations, schools, and communities how to use the proven Creative Problem Solving process to develop new ideas, solve problems, and implement solutions.

Learn more about CEF

Creative Problem Solving Institute

Rooted in the creative problem-solving process, Creative Problem Solving Institute (CPSI) events offer multiple pathways for individuals, teams, and communities to strengthen their creative capacity.

Attend CPSI Events

Featured Artifacts

  • FourSight Thinking Profile Pamphlet by Dr. Gerard Puccio, Sarah Thurber, Dr. Blair Miller, and Russ Schoen

  • Create in a Flash by Dr. Roger Firestien 

  • The Palgrave Handbook of Applied Creativity in Global Higher Education, edited by Gerard J. Puccio, Amanada Lohiser, Camille A. McKayle, and Frederik Hertel

  • CPS bots by Dr. David Yates, Mikhaila Ackerbauer, Scott Jesmore, Faizan Kazani, and Chris Von Spitzer

  • Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking artifact and stuffed elephant

  • Newspaper clippings featuring Buffalo as the center for imagination 

  • Creative Leadership Skills That Drive Change by Gerard Puccio, Mary C. Murdock, and Marie Mance