D-Lab Spring Student Showcase 2018: May 4, 5 pm

D-Lab students in the D-Lab workshop discussing a spring semester project with visitors.
D-Lab students in the D-Lab workshop discussing a spring semester project with visitors.

Friday, May 4, 5:00-7:00 pm - D-Lab, MIT N51 3rd floor


Students from the seven spring 2018 MIT D-Lab classes presented projects, in addition to one of the D-Lab UROPs. Project teams presented their work and received questions and feedback from other teams of D-Lab students as well as from guests! Download the full program with student lists.

D-Lab: Design 

Addresses problems faced by underserved communities with a focus on design, experimentation, and prototyping processes. Instructors: Jerome Arul & Sorin Grama

Projects:

  • Commercial Cookstove for Mealie Vendors in S. Africa
  • Ready-to-Assemble Solar Systems for Zimbabwe
  • Point-of-care screening Platform for Lymphoma
  • Packaging and Filter Housing for Paper Filter
  • Stair Climbing Vehicle for Disabled People
  • System to Dry and Burn Human Waste

D-Lab: Energy 

Offers a hands-on, project-based approach that engages students in understanding and addressing the applications of alternative energy technology in developing countries where compact, robust, low-cost systems for generating power are required. Instructors: Libby Hsu, Amit Gandhi, and Dan Sweeney

Projects

  • Needs Assessment in Nepal
  • Evaporative Cooling Assessment
  • Solar Dryer Selection Tool
  • Charcoal Briquette Quality Improvement

D-Lab: Education & Learning 

Explores learning in the international development context and how innovative approaches and researched best practices can overcome challenges such as limited resources, language barriers, large class sizes, and entrenched pedagogy. Instructors: Jessica Huang & Lisa Nam

Projects

  • Design Process in a Buddhist Temple
  • Local Resources and Hands-On Math Training for Teachers
  • Connecting STEM with Life Skills

D-Lab: New Economies

Explores the ideas behind, and actions toward alternative economic systems aimed at reclaiming the power to control and build inclusive local and regional economies; secure rights to food, water, land, and healthy environments; build resilience; restore value systems; and ultimately to improve the quality of life. Instructors: Libby McDonald & Kate Mytty

Projects

  • Creative Capacity Building with Women Farmers Around Climate Change
  • Identifying Industries Ripe for Small Business Development

D-Lab: Smallholder Agriculture

Explores the scientific basis and environmental impacts of agriculture, the dynamics of smallholder farming, social and business systems, and also focus on the experience of farmers themselves. Instructors: Gwyn Jones & Bob Nanes

Projects

  • Agricultural Innovation Ecosystems in Colombia
  • Radio Shows on Colombian Agriculture
  • Insurance Products for Smallholder Farmers

D-Lab: Water Climate Change & Health

By 2025, more than half of the countries in the world could be experiencing water stress or scarcity. Water stress and scarcity are exacerbated by climate change. This class is about real-world answers to climate change as it relates to water. Instructors: Susan Murcott, Julie Simpson, Vin Gupta

Projects:

  • Wastewater Irrigation in India
  • Two short stories related to H2O, CC, Health
  • MIT-DUSP-Colombia Projects Link
  • Visualizing Health Access
  • ORDEAL (occultation of radiowave detection for evaluation of atmospheric liquid)
  • The People’s Archive of Rural Pakistan
  • Use of Heirloom Tomato Second Production
  • Building Ventilated Improved Pit Latrines in Rwanda
  • Solar Water Trailers for Off-Grid Electricity in Puerto Rico
  • Wastewater Bazaar: Low-Cost Decentralized Treatment for Farmers in India

Humanitarian Innovation: Design for Relief, Recovery, and Rebuilding 

Explores the role innovation can and does play in how humanitarian aid is provided, and how it can change people, products, and processes. Instructors: Amy Smith & Martha Thompson

Projects

  • Improving Water Access in Puerto Rico
  • Improving Safety in Latrines
  • Fostering Design and Innovation among unaccompanied refugee minors

D-Lab's Energy Research Group

Research Supervisor: Anish Paul Antony

  • Development of low-cost water filter using plant xylem

 

Download the full program with student lists!