Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter: September 16th, 2026
Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter
UPCOMING@JACOBS
Jacobs Institute-organized events, news, and announcements—straight from the source.
EXPAND YOUR SKILLS WITH WORKSHOPS in the Jacobs Makerspace
Become acquainted with a new skill, learn more about the resources and materials available at Jacobs, and connect with our community! FREE but Maker Pass required. Next week’s offerings:
9/17: Intro to Rhino / Unlock the potential of 3D modeling with Cody Glen
9/18: Privacy Not Included / Take back control of your data with Chris Parsell (NO MAKERPASS REQUIRED!)
9/23: Jewel of my (Laser) Eye / hands-on intro to laser cutting with Chris Myers
9/24: Intro to Grasshopper / Understand the fundamentals of parametric design with Cody Glen
9/29: AI Ethics for STEM / Navigating AI, thoughtfully and critically with Nicole Panditi (NO MAKERPASS REQUIRED!)
10/1: RoboDraw / Turn your sketch into robot art with Cody Glen
10/15: Advanced RoboDraw / Go deeper with multiaxis robotics with Cody Glen
Learn more and reserve your spot today!
DESIGN FIELD NOTES: Kelsey Brennan // Found Problems and Made Problems: What Comes First?
Tuesday, September 22 ⋅ 5:30 – 6:30pm ⋅ Jacobs Hall, Third Floor
Meet Kelsey Brennan, Head of Product Design and User Research at ThredUp, where she leads the teams shaping how people buy and sell secondhand in one of the world's largest online resale platforms. With a background spanning design, research, architecture, and new media, Kelsey brings a systems-minded approach to product design, pairing creative rigor with a deep understanding of how people interact with complex digital experiences. Her work at ThredUp has helped shape AI-driven search features recognized by TIME's Best Inventions of 2024, alongside the company's 2025 rebrand.
Kelsey has built her practice across a range of ambitious product environments, from scaling design at Planet, where she developed novel patterns for machine learning, satellite, and geospatial data, to launching products at Carbon Five that many people know and love. Her interdisciplinary path, grounded in a Master of Architecture from UC Berkeley and a BA from Reed College, reflects a career shaped by both conceptual thinking and practical execution. In this talk, she will explore the tensions between found problems and made problems, and what comes first when designing products, teams, and systems that need to work in the real world.
This event is free and open to the public.
CREATIVE CAMPUS MAKERSPACE CRAWL
Wednesday, September 23 ⋅ 12:00 – 1:30pm ⋅ RSVP
🎨 Explore the artistic side of making! This crawl showcases creative spaces across campus, beginning with the Jacobs Hall Makerspace and visiting the Moffitt Maker Studio, Berkeley Art Studio (Helen Diller Anchor House) and the Art Studio & Creative Lab (MLK Jr. Building). Discover hands-on resources for design and self-expression—and don’t forget comfortable shoes!
DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES DIGEST
non-Jacobs Institute-affiliated events, opportunities, and programs—at your fingertips.
UC BERKELEY ENTREPRENEURSHIP MIXER
Wednesday, September 23 ⋅ 6:00 – 8:00pm ⋅ RSVP is required as space is limited.
Hosted by UC Berkeley SCET, Big Ideas Contest, and Berkeley Changemaker(R), this mixer is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow students, explore entrepreneurship opportunities at Berkeley, and meet potential collaborators—or even your future co-founder.
Location: Jarvis Auditorium @ Grimes Engineering Center
1-Minute Startup Pitches: Students can sign up to pitch on the main stage in Jarvis Auditorium. Pitch sign-ups close September 11.
Food: Pizza and light refreshments will be provided.
Open to all UC Berkeley students, alumni, and friends. We can't wait to see you there!
We are searching for individuals to participate in a research study focused on collaborative design tasks. In this study, you will work with another participant and an AI assistant to solve a design task. The AI will present information using different personas, and your participation will help us understand the impact AI assistants have on group collaboration. Participation will require 1 hour of your time. Participants will be compensated with a $20 gift card, distributed via Tango. Tango gift cards can be redeemed for a wide variety of popular retailers. Study will be conducted virtually via Zoom.
Eligibility criteria
Must be 18 years of age or older
Fluent in English
Must live in the United States
Prior coursework experience in product design/mechanical design/human-centered design/industrial design/UI design
Participation in this research is completely voluntary. You have the right to decline to participate or to withdraw at any point in this study without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. Your decision to participate in the study or not will have no effect on your grades, position, or status at UC Berkeley or elsewhere.
If you are interested in participating, have any questions, or would like more information, please email kevin...@berkeley.edu or call Kevin Ma at (713) 858-8993. Kevin Ma is a PhD student affiliated with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley.
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To add your event to the Jacobs Student Newsletter, please contact Janrey Javier at janrey...@berkeley.edu.
Get your Jacobs Maker Pass and get access to a world-class prototyping and fabrication facility — training and mentorship by professional staff included.
If you require accommodation for a disability for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Jacobs Institute staff at jacobsi...@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.
The Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation strives to be a welcoming home for all members of the Berkeley community. We value your ideas, suggestions and concerns. Complete our Jacobs Institute Anonymous Feedback Form.