MIT D-Lab

Advance Screening of the "Force of Water" at the MIT Museum July 17 followed by a conversation with Libby Hsu, Lecturer and Associate Director of Academics, MIT D-Lab, and Andrea Johnson, Executive Director, Green Empowerment. This documentary film follows two communities, one in Ecuador and one in Uganda, as they mobilize to build their own piped water systems. MIT Climate & Sustainability Consortium (MCSC) J-WAFS at MIT MIT Morningside Academy for Design

Thurs, June 27, 5-6:30 pm at the MIT Media Lab: "Designing With, Not For" has long been a central tenet of D-Lab's philosophy. Now, the MIT Morningside Academy for Design has put together a panel on the topic featuring D-Lab Founding Director Amy Smith, D-Lab alum and instructor Aditya Mehrotra, Richard Perez of the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town, and data scientist and urban planner Surbhi Agrawal. Join us for a lively discussion on engaging communities and stakeholders as equals in the design process. The event will analyze different collaborative design processes, particularly in the African context. Register: bit.ly/3XMSsW7 Presented in conjunction with DRS2024 Boston: Resistance, Recovery, Reflection, Reimagination.

An article by MIT Professor Dan Frey about the CITE | MIT D-Lab study and report "Access to Affordable Bicycles in Africa." The study, funded by USAID, sought to understand the background, current state and opportunities for bicycles to benefit underserved communities in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to Dan Frey, the research team for the study and report includes Megha Hegde, Maggie Hsu, Gwyndaf Jones, Kendra Leith, Robyn Richmond, Jonars B. Spielberg, and Dan Sweeney. MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE) #bicycles

Honing her values and career path through her D-Lab classes, MIT senior Sophia Chen sets her sights on leveling inequalities in global health. “It is no understatement to say that D-Lab has played a central role in helping me discover what I’m passionate about and what my purpose is in life,” she says. “I hope to dedicate my career towards solving global health inequity and gender inequality.” MIT Alumni Association MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE) MIT Department of Architecture MIT Program in Women's and Gender Studies Tatirano Social Enterprise Society Empowerment Project - Kenya

Check out the first video from D-Lab community partner Twende Innovates Tanzania Social Innovation Center for the Design for Second Life Innovations project - a window into a Creative Capacity Building workshop! The 23-month initiative seeks to create second life options for Samsung devices, with a particular focus on the agriculture, energy, education, and health sectors. In a unique co-design experience, MIT students are joining forces with communities in Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan, leveraging MIT D-Lab's Creative Capacity Building (CCB) methodology. Supported by KOICA, with Samsung Electronics providing used technology to be upcycled in the program. #upcycling #ewaste #tanzania #designeducation #handsonlearning

Call for IDDS 2024 and 2025 Summits! International Development Design Summits (IDDS) are intense, hands-on, community-based design trainings that bring together a diverse group of people to teach them the co-creative design process and how to prototype low-cost technological solutions to improve livelihoods of people. D-Lab Founder Amy Smith is a founder of IDDS and member of the current volunteer steering committee. Groups and organizations interested in organizing a summit in 2024 or 2025 can submit an Expression of Interest until April 19, 2024. Folks that would like to move more quickly can reach out to the IDIN Steering Committee at idds.steercom@gmail.com. - 30 April 2024: Expression of Interest Due - 30 June 2024: Full Proposal Due - 31 July 2024: IDDS Lead Organizing Teams Notified

Wonderful profile of Daisy Wang, a fall 2023 D-Lab: Gender and Development student! "In the field, Wang and peers supported an ongoing D-Lab initiative in collaboration with an in-country [#Kenya] community-based organization, the Society Empowerment Project. Together, they aimed to co-design solutions for educating youth on menstrual and reproductive health and ways to support teen parents." #menstrualhealth #reproductivehealth #teenparents

Since 2022, MIT D-Lab and Perkins School for the Blind have collaborated on innovative low-cost solutions for children with disabilities in Merida, Yucatan. D-Lab students worked remotely throughout the fall semester with the staff of the Perkins Adaptive Design Center in Merida to design and construct switch-based toys and appliance attachments powered by batteries and then traveled to Mexico to work on site in January. Led by D-Lab Associate Director of Academics Libby Hsu, the student team included Sofia Malika Djojonegoro, Helen Hu, Juan Antonio Luera, Dalila Valdes, and Sophie Zhang. #adaptivedesign #inclusivedesign

Thanks to all who contributed to D-Lab during the MIT 24-Hour Challenge and especially to the wonderful D-Lab challenge funders Dominic Ricci, Johnny Yang, John Morrell, Kjirste Morrell, Ash Dyer, and Deirdre Offenheiser for believing in and supporting D-Lab's mission, programs, and goals! Another great Pi Day in the books!

Today's the day! If D-Lab secures 125 donations today (give at bit.ly/dlab24hr) we unlock $11,500 in challenge pledges! With your support, D-Lab can continue to advance our innovative programs in biomass fuels and cookstoves, water and sanitation, gender and development, climate change, refugee-led design, participatory design, and so much more. It is these long-term research and field programs at D-Lab that give form and substance to our international impact and the D-Lab student experience!