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	Bradley Morris Professor, EHHS, Learning Sciences and Educational Psychology Bradley’s project was to develop a multi-disciplinary undergraduate course that integrates science and culture through cooking. Cooking is the original makerspace and a true human universal. Cooking provides a unique opportunity to illustrate real-world applications of science (e.g., sugars and proteins combine to produce the tasty browning effects in dishes like French Toast) as well as the cultural traditions conveyed by foods (e.g., Rabanadas is a variation on French Toast served around Christmas time in Brazil).
	Claudia Gomez Associate Professor, Stark Campus, ACCBE, Management and Information Systems Claudia worked on developing a Human Resource Management course centered around Design Thinking and the use of AI and Low-Code No-Code (LCNC) tools. The course will consist of a module focused on learning design thinking to solve HR problems in the workplace and a module focused on AI and LCNC tools to solve business problems. As the main project of the class, students will identify an HR related business problem for an organization of their choice and use Design Thinking to solve this problem.
	David Foster Associate Professor, CCI, Media & Digital Journalism David’s project focused on integrating artificial intelligence and its capabilities for image creation into traditional photography classes. Earlier in the semester, he conducted an AI challenge workshop “Pixel Quest” aimed at educating students about the creative possibilities and ethical considerations of AI in visual storytelling. His project explored the intersections of technology and creativity, emphasizing prompt engineering for various AI platforms. Join us for a virtual gallery in the Blank_Lab, featuring a curated selection of AI-generated artworks created by students during the workshop and Visual Storytelling class. The exhibition will also highlight prompt engineering basics.
	Deepraj Mukherjee Professor, ACCBE, Economics Deppraj worked on developing pedagogical strategies and educational materials for the Business Sustainability Grand Challenge course, scheduled for launch in the academic year 2024-2025. Embracing an interdisciplinary approach, the course will be open to senior and graduate students across diverse disciplines. The aim is to seek recognition for the course as an elective within the Sustainability Minor program offered by the College of Aeronautics and Engineering.
	Gargi Bhaduri Associate Professor, COA, Fashion Design & Merchandising The goal of Gargi’s project was to collaborate across disciplines to create innovative ways to empower and educate community members to make environmentally, socially, and commercially-conscious choices for the future. We developed a DI grand challenge course with local businesses and communities as partners and explored how businesses and consumers can co-exist with sustainability.
	Joanne Caniglia Professor, EHHS, Teaching, Learning & Curriculum Studies Joanne worked on the “Making Math Visual” project to create math manipulatives with makerspace materials to support children’s understanding of mathematics. Pre-service teachers created files within design space demonstrating the value of learning mathematics through the creation of files that would produce materials. With support from the Child Development Center and Mason CLC in Akron, a Math Adventure was created to make mathematics enjoyable while helping children understand important skills. Finally, the Kent State-University of Rwanda Partnership led to creating math materials for rural schools so children can visualize mathematics.
	Koon-Hwee Kan Associate Professor, COA, Art Education In an increasingly divisive, confrontational, and deglobalized world on a vulnerable and overly populated planet where essential natural resources are unevenly distributed and become scarcer as exploitation continues, basic humanity is often threatened. Peace, equanimity, and an ecological consciousness are urgently needed to sustain and support the natural balance of the planet. This pilot study examined how (1) art history can illuminate social, political, and environmental crises in premodern and modern East Asia and (2) making-focused art education can convey the profound influence these crises have had in shaping identities, histories, and cultures.
	Loubna Bilali Associate Professor, CAS, Modern & Classical Languages Loubna’s project aims at the development of a multidisciplinary course that follows the design innovation practices and presents students with the opportunity to examine the design principles and development of digital content meant for the global market, to design an app following the product development lifecycle and localize its digital ecosystem. The course addresses the complexities, challenges, and opportunities that apps design and localization have created and their impact on the global market. Ultimately, the course sheds light on how a given product moves from inception in a U.S. context to be used internationally with a new and often revamped identity.
	Pinyan Zhu Assistant Professor, COA, Art Education & Studio Art In an increasingly divisive, confrontational, and deglobalized world on a vulnerable and overly populated planet where essential natural resources are unevenly distributed and become scarcer as exploitation continues, basic humanity is often threatened. Peace, equanimity, and an ecological consciousness are urgently needed to sustain and support the natural balance of the planet. This pilot study examined how (1) art history can illuminate social, political, and environmental crises in premodern and modern East Asia and (2) making-focused art education can convey the profound influence these crises have had in shaping identities, histories, and cultures.
	Qunxing Ding Associate Professor, East Liverpool Campus, Biological Sciences Environmental issues have caught great attention worldwide and the increased costs of energy are one concern to the industry, agriculture, and every resident. Qunxing’s project focuses on small-scale biogas production with biological waste. The proposed targets are the design and production of the small-scale bioreactor; inoculation of methane-synthesis bacteria strains; initiation of biogas production; analysis of biogas constituents; and the evaluation of the whole process, with future improvement and possible application.
	Renee Roll Associate Professor, COA, School of Art This year, Renée worked to evaluate the Introduction to Design Innovation course for inclusion into the Kent Core and to promote the course as an interdisciplinarity course co-taught by faculty from humanities fields in our Kent Community. Through this research, she hoped to identify new ways of communicating ideas through designed objects and to create a space for discourse beyond a specific problem and/or design solution. In evaluating the Intro to DI curriculum, she found more alignment with social science disciplines and learning outcomes, as opposed to humanities outcomes. This alignment may prove fruitful in meshing the DI Innovation curriculum within the general education program.
	Susan Sainato Professor, CAS, English Susan and Dr. Joanne Caniglia co-taught the Intro to Design Innovation course in Fall 2023. Teaching this dynamic course together and experiencing how theory and practice overlap opened up exciting possibilities for future work. Susie will showcase modules that visualize how one might integrate the DI process into content heavy courses. She believes that such integrations will increase student engagement in our courses while also providing students with a flexible learning process that echoes what many of the top businesses are working with today.
	Vaneet Kaur Assistant Professor, Stark Campus, ACCBE, Department of Management The prime objective of Vaneet’s DI Faculty Fellowship was to measure and evaluate the impact and efficacy of change efforts related to DI. She worked on developing a survey instrument to create a “Fearless Collaborator Profile” and identify the competencies that individuals need to develop collaborative innovation solutions. After collecting data from over 200 respondents, composed of DI collaborators and the Kent State Community members, she has been able to develop a 13-tem scale that successfully identifies the competencies that individuals need to be a fearless collaborator. She will be showcasing the survey instrument and results of statistical analysis.
	Will Kalkhoff Professor, CAS, Sociology Throughout the year, Dr. Kalkhoff worked with his team from the Cheryl Swinehart Dariushnia (VR) Lab to develop a virtual reality simulation with artificial intelligence-based characters. With an eye on enhancing law enforcement scenario-based training, in particular, we developed a prototype of a virtual reality encounter where users can interact with two AI-based characters in a detailed bar/pool hall: J.R. Campbell’s evil twin, Bad J.R., who is highly sarcastic and hopelessly obstinate, and a frustrated bartender named Big Earl who just wants him to leave. We invite attendees to drop by our exhibit, learn more about it, and try their hand at getting Bad J.R. to leave the bar. Good luck!.

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