alanG/\lan lives – Visualize, Design, Develop, Affect – inspired Technologist

My undergrad years at Cornell certainly had a largely interdisciplinary focus which flexed my ability to design interaction paradigms, particularly for integrating performing arts and information science. Of the several goals set out for the sustainability related project being led by Communication Ph.D. Megan Halpern, one which is closely related to my interests is the use of both art and science as tools to enhance creative thinking about global sustainability issues. The ‘Out of Water’ project, which started in the University of Toronto and is on display at Ohio State Unviersity, tackles a similar challenge:

The trick is making sure that projects like Out of Water transcend the potentially hermetic worlds of academia and design. This initiative features the kind of interdisciplinary approach of design and science that not only points the way out of our current crisis, but also enables young practitioners to think creatively about how to respond to our most pressing environmental challenges. Nonetheless, it will take the combined will and action of individuals to ground such prescriptions in daily life.

via Worldchanging: Bright Green: Out of Water Project Aims to Highlight Solutions to Water Issues.

Given that we are likely to collaborate with Ithaca’s Science Center, we will be using Megan’s project as an educational tool for building global sustainability awareness among young visitors of the museum, about ages 8-12. Working with such an agree adds another challenge to our project goals. I hope to continue writing about challenge of effectively merging arts, science, and the attention spans of middle-school aged kids into the design of an educational paradigm for sustainability.

The team here at the MIT Mobile Experience Lab has been doing some mind bending as we try to design a concept for the data visualization to be showcased at the Airport Council International in September (hosted by Boston’s own Logan airport:  http://www.aciboston2008.com/ )


Given that the Logan airport has forwarded initiatives that the United States Green Building Council has recognized them for ( with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification ), our installation will be constrained in terms of energy usage, use of materials, and perhaps several other limiting factors. Yet in spite of constraints, our purpose is still to engage the context within which this installation will reside. The dates during which the installation will be showcased are also part of the constraints. Yet, for all our hard work, we have kept in mind that our work can be appropriated within different contexts.

Such works might have a generative connection to a particular spot, but they can mutate and adapt over time and in new places.–Stephanie Smith in Beyond Green Catalogue 

Playing on the theme of sustainability and appropriating the practice of recycling to our own work, we hope to delight and amaze with an installation that will be mobile yet engaging in whichever context it is presented.