Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter: March 4th, 2025
Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter
UPCOMING@JACOBS
Jacobs Institute-organized events, news, and announcements—straight from the source.
TOMORROW: Design Field Notes: Reto Togni, PhD, ETH Zürich
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
10 AM via Zoom
Everyday objects, no matter how mundane, shape our identities, actions, and how others perceive us. By understanding these mechanisms, Reto Togni develops technologies and products that enhance well-being and promote inclusivity – blending scientific rigor with creative exploration and precise execution. Reto was trained in Industrial Design, graduated from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London and earned a PhD in Movement Science from ETH Zürich. His doctoral research introduced the concept of “steering-by-leaning” in manual wheelchairs. Through the spinoff company Versive, he is dedicatedd to translating the results into tangible products that improve mobility and health of users. Join the open-to-public conversation about design practices on Zoom.
Career Conversation with Marc O’Brien: On Becoming a Climate Designer
Mar 6, 12-1pm | Jacobs 310
RSVP HERE | Lunch served
The Jacobs Institute is pleased to host Marc O’Brien, co-founder of Climate Designers, as he reflects on his journey of becoming a climate designer. He’ll share how his discovery of punk rock in middle school eventually inspired a career in social- and climate-impact at the intersection of design, brand, and content strategy. Marc will also showcase the power of design in tackling climate breakdown and highlight the work of Climate Designers to equip designers with the education and community they need to create climate positive work. Don’t miss this inspiring talk! Lunch will be served.
Advanced RoboDRAW
Friday, March 7, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Maker Pass required
This workshop is an advanced version of the "RoboDraw" workshop, and will take a deeper look into multiaxis drawing with robots. We will use Rhino and Grasshopper to make drawings with our Industrial robots, Lucy and Ethel. Please have Rhino + Grasshopper installed prior to arriving. Taught by Cody Glen. Seats are limited; register here.
Learn about the Berkeley Certificate in Design Innovation
Friday, March 14th | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | RSVP | Zoom Link
Do you enjoy design? Did you know you can gain an undergraduate certificate in Design Innovation at Berkeley?
The Berkeley Certificate in Design Innovation (BCDI) assumes that innovation does not come from just one area of study, but requires the integration of many modes of technology, knowledge, and thought. Join this zoom to learn more about the BCDI and have your questions about fulfilling certificate requirements, Summer 2025 course list, Fall 2025 Phase I enrollment, future course availability, and more!
Career Conversation with Maanasa Sivashankar: On Designing Impactful Services
March 17, 12-1pm | Jacobs Institute, Room 310
RSVP here | Lunch will be served!
The Jacobs Institute is pleased to host Maanasa Sivashankar, Senior Service Designer at the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Innovation, for an engaging exploration of her career journey from architecture to service design. Maanasa will share how her background in spatial design shapes her approach to solving complex, systems-level challenges. She will break down what service design is and will present two case studies of high-impact projects she’s worked on for marginalized populations—one from the private sector and one from the public sector. Maanasa will also reflect on what makes this work both impactful and rewarding. Whether you’re curious about service design or passionate about solving complex societal problems through human-centered design, this talk is for you!
Design Field Notes: Virj Kan, Founder & CEO, Primitives Biodesign
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
10 AM via Zoom
Virj Kan is a designer, engineer, artist, and founder of Primitives Biodesign, a b-corp company that produces advanced materials to drive nature and ecosystem restoration. Working at the intersection of business, technology, and art, she engineers innovative materials that transform how we interact and relate to the environment. Her research in the field of human-computer
Career Conversation with Lucy Greco: On Making Technology More Inclusive
Mar 21, 12-1pm | Jacobs 310
RSVP HERE | Lunch will be served.
Join us for an inspiring talk by Lucy Greco, a renowned accessibility evangelist at UC Berkeley, who has dedicated her career to making technology more inclusive. Blind since birth and a lifelong tech enthusiast, Lucy has worked on everything from websites and mobile apps to video games and kiosks, ensuring they are accessible to all. She’ll share her journey into the world of accessibility and the excitement of working on projects with real impact. Lucy will also highlight the critical role designers play in creating accessible experiences and how they can integrate accessibility into their design process. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, ask questions, and gain a new perspective on designing for everyone! Lunch will be served.
APPLICATIONS LIVE: SU25 Berkeley Engineering Design Scholars
The Berkeley Engineering Design Scholar Program is a 10-week summer research program open to all continuing UC Berkeley undergraduates in the College of Engineering or with relevant experience in design innovation. This program aims to increase diversity in the field of design and provide underrepresented students with research experience they may not have had otherwise. The Scholars actively contribute to the growing design ecosystem at UC Berkeley—participating in seminars, workshops, and special events with members of the design community, including their cohort of fellow undergraduate Design Scholars, graduate students, and faculty. In addition, they learn and practice critical skills of making through the Maker Pass program. Scholars also receive a $6,500 stipend. The per week commitment will fluctuate, but students should prepare to be able to commit at least 20 hours/week towards research.
We are offering the Berkeley Engineering Design Scholar Program as an in-person, on-campus experience in summer 2025, starting June 2nd and ending August 8th. For more information, please watch this recording of one of our information sessions that includes a previous alumni of the program.
Apply for the 2025 Berkeley Engineering Design Scholar Program by Friday, March 21st. Scholars will be matched with faculty mentors once they are accepted into the program. To learn more about the program, please contact Janrey Javier (janrey...@berkeley.edu). Learn more about the Scholars from prior cohorts here.
The International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces (ISAM) 2025 // Call for Papers, Posters & Demos
The Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation and UC Berkeley are the proud hosts of the 9th annual International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces (ISAM) 2025 this coming August 6-8, 2025. Over a span of 3 days, 300+ faculty, staff, student, and industry leaders from across the globe will gather to share makerspace knowledge, experience and inspiration in order to maximize impact on the student learning experience and alumni success. Have knowledge to share? The Call for Papers, Posters and Demonstrations is open now! Find out more & register to attend at https://isam2025.hemi-makers.org.
Get creative this semester in the Jacobs Makerspace!
Maker Pass registration is open to ALL UC Berkeley students, staff and faculty and is only $125 per semester (fee waivers available!). Personal projects welcome; the opportunities to design, make and fabricate are practically endless! Plenty of support is available to learn how to operate exciting tools and achieve the results you desire. Attend workshops (see below) and get hands-on training! Learn more here.
SP25 Jacobs Hall Drop-in Makerspace Tours
Tuesdays, 1pm, 1:20pm, 1:40pm
Wednesdays, 11am, 11:20am, 11:40am
Thursdays, 12pm, 12:20pm, 12:40pm
Jacobs Hall, West Lobby, Student Welcome Center (103 Jacobs)
Curious to learn more about what the Jacobs Institute has to offer? Join us for a 10 minute tour to learn about the Jacobs Hall Maker Pass and get a tour of the Jacobs Hall Makerspace. Meet our Design Specialists and learn about upcoming workshops and other opportunities to get involved with the vibrant, interdisciplinary student community that you can take part of at Jacobs. Please check in at the Student Welcome Center, located in 103 Jacobs in the west lobby of Jacobs Halloff the Etcheverry Hall breezeway.
DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES DIGEST
non-Jacobs Institute-affiliated events, opportunities, and programs—at your fingertips.
Join Us Mar. 11: Book Talk featuring Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz
The Berkeley Engineering Inclusive Excellence team and the Kresge Engineering Library will be hosting a book talk featuring W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz, authors of “Do the Work: An Anti-Racist Activity Book,” on March 11. This unique interactive workbook is part of the Kresge Engineering Library’s Inclusive Excellence Book Collection. We hope that you can join us for this engaging conversation on systemic racism — and how we can dismantle it.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Banatao Auditorium
Doors open at 3:45 p.m. Conversation starts at 4:30 p.m.
Book signing and reception with food and beverage to follow.
Please register to secure your seat.
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to the Jacobs Student Engagement calendar and keep track of all Jacobs happenings in your bCal. For inquiries regarding weekly newsletters, please contact Janrey Javier at janrey...@berkeley.edu
Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter
Career Conversation with Marc O’Brien: On Becoming a Climate Designer
Mar 6, 12-1pm | Jacobs 310
RSVP HERE | Lunch served
The Jacobs Institute is pleased to host Marc O’Brien, co-founder of Climate Designers, as he reflects on his journey of becoming a climate designer. He’ll share how his discovery of punk rock in middle school eventually inspired a career in social- and climate-impact at the intersection of design, brand, and content strategy. Marc will also showcase the power of design in tackling climate breakdown and highlight the work of Climate Designers to equip designers with the education and community they need to create climate positive work. Don’t miss this inspiring talk! Lunch will be served.