3 credit course summary

Roads​ ​freeze​ ​and​ ​thaw.​ ​Rivers​ ​become​ ​dirty.​ ​Trees​ ​exhale​ ​moisture.​ ​The​ ​environment around​ ​us​ ​is​ ​“alive”​ ​and​ ​emits​ ​an​ ​exorbitant​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​information​ ​that​ ​unknowingly impacts​ ​our​ ​everyday​ ​life.​ ​How​ ​might​ ​we​ ​make​ ​the​ ​invisible​ ​visible?​ ​What​ ​if​ ​we​ ​could sense​ ​the​ ​hidden​ ​changes​ ​in​ ​our​ ​environment​ ​as​ ​they’re​ ​happening?​ ​How​ ​might​ ​we​ ​use internet-connected​ ​sensors​ ​and​ ​publicly​ ​available​ ​data​ ​to​ ​better​ ​understand​ ​and intentionally​ ​shape​ ​our​ ​communities?​ ​What​ ​new​ ​relationships​ ​emerge​ ​when​ ​we​ ​uncover, understand,​ ​and​ ​share​ ​data​ ​generated​ ​from​ ​our​ ​surroundings?

In​ ​this​ ​course,​ ​students​ ​investigate​ ​natural​ ​and​ ​built​ ​environments​ ​in​ ​and​ ​around Providence.​ ​They​​ ​unearth​ ​invisible​ ​elements​ ​within​ ​it,​ ​exploring​ ​how​ ​these​ ​elements​ ​can​ ​be meaningfully​ ​leveraged​ ​to​ ​create​ ​civic​ ​impact.​ ​Using​ ​design​ ​thinking​ ​methodologies​ ​and​ ​sensor technology,​ ​students​ ​design​ ​and​ ​build​ ​sensor-based​ ​installations​ ​while​ ​learning​ ​the foundations​ ​of​ ​software​ ​development​ ​and​ ​basic​ ​electronics.​ ​The​ ​class​ ​culminates​ ​with​ ​a capstone​ ​project​ ​that’s​ ​grounded​ ​in​ ​a​ ​civic​ ​impact​ ​narrative.​ ​Emphasis​ ​was​ ​given​ ​to meaningful​ ​communication​ ​that​ ​informs​ ​citizens​ ​and​ ​inspires​ ​change.

The​ ​class​ ​was​ ​led​ ​by​ ​Jack​ ​Lenk,​ ​Kara​ ​Sanchez,​ ​Epic​ ​Jefferson,​ ​and​ ​Louis​ ​Kishfy,​ ​technologists​ ​and designers​ ​at​ ​Tellart,​ ​a​ ​design​ ​and​ ​engineering​ ​firm​ ​headquartered​ ​in​ ​Providence,​ ​RI.​ ​Tellart​ ​created various​ ​of​ ​award​ ​winning​ ​interactive​ ​experience,​ ​including​ ​Weblab​ ​at​ ​London​ ​Science​ ​Museum (2012-2013),​ ​Color​ ​Visualizer​ ​at​ ​California​ ​Academy​ ​of​ ​Science​ ​(2015)​ ​,​ ​and​ ​Museum​ ​of​ ​Future​ ​in​ ​Dubai (2014-2017).