Students

Student teams from across the University of Michigan worked for several months to imagine a future world--and a future campus-- that is anti-racist and developed solutions through C-SED's Innovation in Action program.

We are excited to apply our own design process to this year’s program and re-design IiA to meet students where they are: online!

19 students from five schools and colleges spent the week learning the basics of the socially engaged design process through the lens of the challenge question, “How might we support the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area to uncover needs and address challenges that the ripple effects of COVID-10 will have on small businesses?” 

On the morning of a typical Innovation in Action Final Showcase, you can find a familiar scene: teams of students nervously checking their microphones and rehearsing their pitches; judges from all over the country readying their score sheets; and staff members double-checking each detail to make sure every team has the chance to showcase five months of hard work.

"Design a way to increase beachgoers’ awareness and understanding of the dangers of the Great Lakes while encouraging the safe enjoyment of their beaches and shoreline."

ReproActive is focused on solving communication and education issues related to sexual and reproductive health for adolescents and young adults. Knowing this a highly stigmatized topic, ReproActive aims to deliver unique tools to relevant stakeholders, adolescents, young adults, healthcare providers, and parents.

Public sector services in Southeast Michigan, such as water, food, energy, and mobility, are inhibited from effectively providing services to their communities because of aging and siloed infrastructure, and are in need of innovative solutions. Could smart, distributed technologies be a part of sustainable and equitable solutions for public sector service’s most pressing problems?

4 projects across 3 countries — working with partners to prioritize design challenges.