MakerSpace Digital Badges

Sustainable design badge

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

The Sustainable Design badge is awarded to NYU affiliates who complete a series of interactive, project based workshops that aid in the understanding of the human impact on the environment and the development of a more sustainable and strategic approach to design. Badge recipients gain knowledge of and experience with best practices for minimizing waste, reducing consumption of non-renewable resources, and prototyping products not only with a human-centered approach, but with the aim of designing with the environment in mind from the first phase of the design process.

Design and Innovation Studio (minimum 2):

Participants learn how user research goes beyond usability testing and gain hands-on experience with methods that get to the heart of users' needs. You will learn the do's and don'ts of forming a solid research foundation, cover real-world case studies, and role-play in a mock study to gain hands-on experience.
Participants focus on the fundamentals of ideation and cover the process of generating new ideas to solve problems that have been identified through research. You will learn the best practices of ideation, how to step beyond ordinary solutions, and participate in a series of creative exercises to gain hands-on experience.
Learn what a concise portfolio needs, the importance of creating a portfolio as part of the job application process, and how to market yourself to potential employers and clients using design thinking strategies. You will have the opportunity to develop an element of your own portfolio using the techniques from the workshop.
Participants learn the fundamentals of rapid prototyping and cover the process of making products with the consumer in mind. You will learn the best practices of prototyping, view physical and digital product development samples, and examine each through prototyping techniques.
Participants learn the art of storytelling as an essential tool in design practice. Through a series of creative exercises, you will practice your storytelling abilities as a resource that can be used in interviews, presentations, and more!

Sustainable Workshops (minimum 2):

Learn about using nature as a tool for ideation and design by brainstorming your own sustainable smart city!
This workshop will go over the basics of solar energy and show you how to build your own solar charging circuit!
In this workshop, participants will learn how to care for common house plants and identify common plant problems.
Participants learn how to tie-dye fabrics with fruits, vegetables, and other natural ingredients.
Participants learn how to decrease your carbon footprint by making sustainable food wraps using beeswax & soy wax!

How do I get this badge?

To begin the badging process, choose which workshops and trainings you would like to attend from the list above. To sign up for a workshop, visit our Events Page. To sign up for a training, visit our Training and Reservations Page.

  1. Learn: Complete the required number of workshops and trainings listed under each badge based on your interests.
  2. Claim: Once you have completed the requirements for the desired badge, fill out and submit the Completed Badge Application.
  3. Approve: Our team will review your application and determine whether you are eligible to receive the badge.
  4. Share: Once approved, we will send you a digital certification package that includes everything you need to share your achievement and new skills including the badge icon and text for your resume, portfolio, and LinkedIn.
  5. Certify: To validate your certification and ensure compliance with our badging procedure, successful badge recipients will have their name displayed below in our 'Certified Badge Holders' section as well as on each page for the badge they have received.

Badging Rules & Expectations

  1. Claiming Badges: You have one full school year (i.e. Fall 2021 - Spring 2022) to claim a badge.
  2. Workshops: To qualify for a desired badge, you must have attended the required workshops during the current school year (i.e. Fall 2021 - Spring 2022).
  3. Trainings: MakerSpace machine trainings are valid for 4 years.
  4. Not Interchangeable: Workshops and trainings are not interchangeable. You must attend a different set of trainings and workshops for each badge (i.e. if you attended Intro to Illustrator and used it to claim the Product Design badge, you cannot also use it towards Digital Design. You must attend another workshop. Same goes for machine trainings).
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