50 Solutions to Ideas Design Thinking Workshops with Vanderbilt Staff
On Tuesday, April 4th, staff from all over Vanderbilt’s campus, and across a range of departments, gathered to collaborate with one another and tackle submitted ideas and opportunities in a series of design thinking workshops for the issues identified in the “50 Ideas, 50 Solutions in 50 Days: Innovating for the Next 150 Years of Vanderbilt University” initiative.
In honor of Vanderbilt’s Sesquicentennial and inspired by the university’s “Dare to Grow” motto, “50 Ideas, 50 Solutions in 50 Days” was created by the Office of the Chancellor and the Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center. Staff were introduced to the design thinking process by David A. Owens, Evans Family Executive Director of the Wond’ry, and led through a series of steps that would allow them to ideate and create potential solutions with one another. Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and his office also stopped into each session, to hear from Vanderbilt staff, and to provide feedback into their topics and solutions.
Some of the ideas that were discussed revolved around specific themes. For example, Driving/Parking had a myriad of stimulated ideas, such as Safer Pedestrian Pathways, Re-Imagining Parking Options, Enhancing/Extending Bus Access, Equitable Parking Fees, and EV Charging Solar Panels in Parking Garages, among other ideas. Another popular theme involved Improved Onboarding, with things such as a Purchasing Guidebook, Shared Policy Guidebook, Helpful Databases of Information, Campus Tours for Staff, an All Staff Digital Registry, and a Guidebook for Staff Tuition. To view all of the ideas that were discussed during the design thinking process, click here.
| |
Toasting a Successful Climate Innovation Accelerator
What a remarkable journey it has been for the inaugural cohort of the Climate Innovation Accelerator program! Over the past ten weeks 11 teams comprised of---44 enthusiastic students, 13 passionate mentors, and 11 visionary minority-owned/led non-profits and small businesses--joined forces to explore and identify innovative climate solutions within their business model or mission to become more resilient and future-fit.
The learning track of the accelerator equipped students and their minority-owned/led non-profit or small business client with the knowledge necessary to execute a project to scope, research, and analyze. The project results have been inspiring and wide ranging including establishing an ESG score, experimenting with minimizing the carbon footprint and product cost of sourcing key ingredients, optimizing warehouse operations to reduce waste and increase efficiencies, examining the role environmental justice plays in real estate development and providing more sustainable transpiration options for summer camp programming. To view all final recorded presentations and slide decks, please visit our webpage here.Together, we have proved that the power of innovation is stronger through radical collaboration and community. The Climate Innovation Accelerator program has been an incredible success, and we can’t wait to see the transformative effects it will have on Nashville and beyond. The next cohort will kick off spring of 2024. Registration will go live fall of 2023.
| |
TOM Go Baby Go Project
Vanderbilt’s Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) piloted the first Go Baby Go project at the Wond’ry this month! Go Baby Go is a program that modifies kiddy cars for young children with disabilities to provide them with more independent mobility. TOM:Vanderbilt worked on a car for a two-year old girl named Violet. Violet has Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, meaning that she experiences up to 100 seizures of all types daily.
Throughout the building process, members of the TOM executive board were able to gain soldering experience, learn about circuits and circuit diagrams, and enhance their prototyping skills. The team was able to attach a 3D printed “Go” button that acted as the gas pedal, install an emergency stop button so that the parents could shut down the car when needed, and incorporate a harness along with other safety features to ensure Violet was protected at all times.
After this successful project, TOM:Vanderbilt plans to incorporate more Go Baby Go cars in the Make-a-thon this fall!
| |
Spring Fashion classes:Fiber Arts Build Lab Director, Alexandra Sargent Capps, wrapped up her spring semester of classes. Here were a few of her favorite highlights:
- Immersion student senior Mathilde Caindec, showcased her project, "Fashion Inspired by Greek Architecture," at the VU Arts Showcase.
- Next Steps student Rachel Sarubbi showcased her project at the VU Arts Showcase that she created in Costume Design. Rachel created sketches and 1/2 scale fashion designs for her modern interpretation of the fairytale The Princess and the Frog. These pieces will be part of an exhibit celebrating Rachel's work, in her senior year, at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, spring 2024.
- Her Sustainable and Adaptive Fashion Design and Production class collaboratively designed pieces of outerwear for community partners Alicia Searcy(https://www.fashionisforeverybody.com/) and Allie Schmidt (https://www.instagram.com/disability_dame/)
| |
Map the System: Vanderbilt Team
We are thrilled to announce the conclusion of this year’s Map the System competition. One student team stood out with their innovative work to address the educational support inequities for children with chronic diseases, earning them a well-deserved advancement to regionals. Comprised of Xingzhi Cheng, Ai Jing, and Lan Yao, this team’s dedication and commitment to months of research, subject matter expert interviews, and creating visual maps of the educational landscape exemplify the spirit of Map the System. The winning student team sent invitations to each of their 30 plus interviewees to watch their local presentations. To their surprise, the team received an email shortly after presenting that read “our children will be poised for improved outcomes if you continue with this work.” At that moment, the students realized that they were not just doing a competition. This was an issue that few people paid attention to, and the students were making actual impact by trying to understand it and solve it. The Map the System competition challenges participants to think differently about social and environmental change, and we are confident that the ideas presented will transform our world.
| |
Notable Highlights: We love getting to celebrate the success of our ventures, students, staff, faculty, and alumni.
| |
The Sohr Grant, gifted by Owen alum Jim Sohr, is an incredible opportunity for Owen students to pursue their entrepreneurial goals and turn their ideas into reality. A huge congratulations to these two ventures for their recent hardwork and accomplishments!
The Birth Control App is a digital women's health company on a mission to improve the standard for women's health.
TuneHatch is a web-based platform that uses predictive analytics to help independent venues and music artists book more profitable shows and help fans find the shows they'll love.
| |
“What I really love about engineering is seeing the direct impact you’re making on people,” said mechanical engineering major Lauren Grohowski. “I love helping solve problems by building products and devices for people that really need them.”
Grohowski led TOM: Vanderbilt, which is part of a global community of students and professionals who design open-source assistive technology.
Read more of Lauren’s story here >> Class of 2023: Lauren Grohowski focuses on being an empathetic engineer
| |
Congratulations to Wond'ry venture, EndoShunt, who just won two "first place" and one "second place" awards, and a total of $31,000, during the Heartland Challenge! The Heartland Challenge is a global competition designed to simulate the process of raising venture capital for a high-growth venture with a cash prize pool of $100,000. The UA’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (OEI) manages the competition.
EndoShunt is a length adjustable shunt for the targeted control of non-compressible hemorrhage. To address the critical need for time during repair of bleeding, this device allows for occlusion of hemorrhaging vessels or organs while maintaining blood flow to the rest of the body. This will reduce peri- and post-operative complications, while providing trauma surgeons the time they need to perform definitive repairs.
| |
“I can look back now and see that the experiences I had with my health and the changes in my abilities were a launching pad to something else—a way that I could help other people and make this story not about myself and my illness, but about something greater,” said master of marketing student Mary Cayten Brakefield.
Brakefield is using her experiences with physical illness and disability to inform her namesake fashion business focused on accessible and inclusive universal design.
Read more of Mary Cayten’s story here >> Class of 2023: Health challenges inspire Mary Cayten Brakefield to create fashion focused on inclusion
| |
Mindful Innovation: The Story Behind Innerworld's Success in Mental Health Support
Tune in and listen to alumni Noah Robinson, MSc as he discusses mindful innovation, and the creation of his VR mental health support app, Innerworld.
| |
Upcoming Events: Check out all of the exciting initiative in the Wond'ry areas!
| |
Sullivan Family Ideator Full Program (Virtual)
This program is composed of 4 virtual, interactive sessions with required instructor and mentor office hours. Each participant will have the opportunity to pitch their idea for potential microgrant funding.
Saturday Program – May 20, May 27, June 3, June 10 | 11-1p CT
Pitch Day – June 24
Register for the full program!
Applications close end of day on May 16th
| |
May 2023 TWIG with Kamilah Sanders: May 5
UKamilah will walk through her journey of maximizing her impact on the world and speak on an overview of the issues in Sustainable, Ethical Fashion; innovative solutions such as AI, AR, Digital Fashion, Material Science etc.; and actions you can take that have local and global impact. Click here to learn more.
| |
Design for America Executive Team applications for the 2023/2024 school year are now open!
If you are interested in working closely with a group of people passionate about design and social impact, please fill out our application. Organization overview and responsibilities for each position are detailed in the application, and you can apply for any position that is of interest to you.
(Open to all Vanderbilt undergrad and grad students)
Priority deadline: May 15th 11:59 PM.
| |
|
|
Challenges and Opportunities:
| |
Whether you are working on a project, looking to build your network, or just looking for general advice, filling out this guided form will help the Wond’ry serve your needs. All you need to do is answer our multiple choice questions about the type of mentorship and areas of expertise you are interested in (with optional short response questions to provide additional detail).
When you submit this form, a Wond’ry staff member will facilitate an email introduction between you and a mentor who suits your interests and has expressed interest in working with you. All individuals and teams with at least one member affiliated with any university are eligible as mentees.
| |
The Wond’ry Internship Network (WIN) is a startup-centric platform that provides undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to reach their inner innovator, while providing startups with the best talent. Students can explore invaluable experiences in a variety of disciplines all while learning the operations of a startup company. Expect to wear many hats and learn cross-disciplinary skills! Through each project, interns will make a lasting impact by assisting in trailblazing work. To learn more and apply, visit our Work at the Wond'ry page.
| |
More Opportunities:
- Spark CleanTech Accelerator Program - Learn More
Aug. 14 | Deadline: May 12 - TOM Fellowship Program - Learn More
2023 - 2024 | Deadline: June 1
| |
New Course: AI & Society Tues. & Thur. 1:15-2:30 PM
HUM 1610. History and overview of artificial intelligence and robotics: socioeconomic, political, ethical, cultural, and environmental implications. Theories of scientific and technological innovation. Benefits and risks of advanced informatic machines. Ethical responsibilities of researchers. Short-term and long-term policies for governance and regulation. Instructors: Ole Molvig (History, CSET, CMA, Wond’ry); Michael Bess (History, CSET)
| |
Being able to make things with hand tools and digital fabrication tools will help you quickly test ideas, clearly communicate concepts, and solve problems in your life. Hosted in the Wond'ry, this course provides an introduction to design thinking, computer-aided design (CAD), rapid prototyping methods, and the strategies to actualize your ideas. This course is for 2nd and 3rd year student only, with all majors welcome and no prerequisites. To learn more, email kevin.c.galloway@vanderbilt.edu.
| |
Support Our StudentsBy making your tax-deductible gift to our Wond’ry Student Project Fund, you help us award students with the funding they need to turn their ideas into reality. Donate here.
| |
|
|
|
