Design Innovation News Center
![Collage of photos of students and characters from an animated game.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/EMAT%20Header%20Image.png?VersionId=QIRGXY7dkDYaeW3qDGWxOGGiRiffNSDs&itok=0e2nsx5k)
Growing up, students Rebecca Haywood and Riley Schaefer saw little to no representation of neurodivergent characters in children’s media. When the two took the augmented reality in children’s literature course offered through their program and Design Innovation last year, they wanted to change that for others. So, they created an interactive story where readers immerse themselves in the playground fun of two neurodivergent characters.
![Photo of Julian Leff and Anna Leitson](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/Workshop%20Thumbnail.png?VersionId=Zny7Ui5mmtr1GY7oY5ZnRuhUG.mKKUlK&itok=J5sOYgcw)
Throughout the semester, DI student fellows collaborated on workshops at the intersection of creativity and cutting edge technology.
![David Foster Teaches Workshop](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/David%20Foster.png?VersionId=m1LH4KdCCczPsulgQSzR8dyYAMGzYUPH&itok=PXfp4Z7Q)
According to the “State of AI in Education” report (Quizlet, 2023), 62 percent of teachers and students in the United States have used artificial intelligence (AI). At Kent State University, Associate Professor David Foster has been immersing himself in research related to AI, seeking ways to empower students to integrate AI into various aspects of life.
![Nadia Modjrian teaches Intro to Machine Sewing](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/ModjrianBanner.jpg?VersionId=vhL0l0zjVm5q2KMLJagNOH4xI3etKx7U&h=87ec5d02&itok=xc9mDLsr)
Design Innovation is about sharing, stitching together extracurricular, cross-disciplinary and collaborative design innovation projects and experiences and sharing them with the Kent State University community. On March 11, the stitching was literal.
![Students hold up their Feminine Urge to Inspire fabric vision boards](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/UrgeToInspireBanner.jpg?VersionId=mF.TdmxCAo.wYf9Oz3.AKWVQdCsWeTfB&h=5b94b063&itok=F3z3LkvL)
Aligned with Women's History Month, the Design Innovation Fellows hosted The Feminine Urge to Inspire workshop to explore the inventions and inspiration of women
![DI Hub's Intro to Simple Circuits](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/Simple%20Circuit%202.jpg?VersionId=C_RuBdlxBwLAJJHocgfVtJG_fodamxIz&itok=8qbk9sl9)
DI Hub Workshops on Simple Circuits provide basic concepts of circuitry for students to start a new learning journey.
![Photo of Koon-Hwee Kan and Pinyan Zhu](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/Faculty%20Fellows%20Profile%20photos%20%281%29.png?VersionId=yM8GVirtwekMpZcw7ZXdjuEtEkdK8x6d&itok=ObtWp-Ng)
This year, Koon-Hwee Kan and Pinyan Zhu, both faculty members in the School of Art, have opened themselves to new modes of thinking through a co-fellowship with the School of Peace and Conflict Studies and Design Innovation.
![photo of student in front of 3D printers](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/IMG_8506EDITED.jpg?VersionId=4p4eSXPywOFpaXP4MqJntYuLLUDo9bSK&itok=Hafqvtyt)
Nicholas Cindrich has been with Design Innovation longer than most staff have worked here.
Cindrich joined as a DI Fellow in spring 2021 and he added crew member to his resume shortly after in the fall. A senior mechatronics engineering technology major, he credits DI with expanding his breadth as an engineer.
![A photo of chimney swifts at night flying over a chimney](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/skilton_swifts_3%20copy.jpg?VersionId=Mc.3AJdd2CfD_MktDbu0E1jUlPsyf43w&h=a55e9195&itok=4ZPp5HYx)
Caitlyn Skilton, a DI Fellow, wanted to help others gain an appreciation for the chimney swift and its role in the environment. So, she decided to create an immersive experience in the Design Innovation Hub’s Blank_Lab.
![Photos of Students at SkyHack 2023](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/5_12.png?VersionId=1mry8FJm.xV9j3S7_yt1.VMco5u33rvI&itok=n8B-c-tP)
With little to no sleep and just 36 hours – make that 37, if they remembered to set their clocks back – 10 student teams defined the future of aviation at SkyHack 2023.