Fung Fellowship: Conservation and Sustainability
Welcome to the Fung Fellowship and welcome to the world of human centered design! This three-unit course is about compassionately looking at our world and the people in it to design solutions to pressing environmental and sustainability problems. Sometimes these solutions may be based in technology; other times they may be concerned with improving the ways human beings collaborate and work together. Students will acquire an expansive understanding of the notion of “design” and a theoretical foundation in thinking through complex ecological and social problems.You will learn about how problems are framed and how that determines our responses, understand the merits and limitations of tech-based solutions, and complete several design projects.
Topics
- Develop emotional and intellectual empathy for affected communities, and be able to translate that empathy into effective design. Be well-versed in the merits and limitations of tech-based solutions. Understand design thinking applications in a wide variety of fields and professions including engineering, architecture, urban planning, art, community organizing, and development. Be fluent in the many complex factors that influence current environmental conservation challenges (e.g., cultural, economic, and political). Have experience formulating research questions, planning for and implementing multiple research methodologies (including surveys, interviews, and data analysis), ideation, and prototyping in concert with stakeholders/customers/collaborators. Identify and better manage the challenges and opportunities associated with diversity, bias, and conflict within teams. Use storytelling to communicate effectively with multiple audiences and for varied purposes. Have a strong understanding of the principles of design thinking and human-centered design, its strengths and weaknesses.
Official catalogue course objectives and student learning outcomes
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027