Subject Listings

Provides an introduction to the field of computational psychiatry from the perspective of technology platforms that can be applied to mental health and wellness. Identifies current needs and challenges informed by clinical practice, and reviews emerging technologies, including chatbots, social robots, wearable sensors, virtual reality, mobile phones, and digital phenotyping. Discusses related topics of privacy and ethical use. Students complete weekly written assignments as well as three design exercises over the course of the semester. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. (Meets with EC.794)

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Students work in small groups, under the guidance of researchers from MIT, to pursue specific aspects of the year's Terrascope problem. Teams design and build prototypes, graphic displays and other tools to communicate their findings and display them in a Bazaar of Ideas open to the MIT community. Some teams develop particular solutions, others work to provide deeper understanding of the issues, and others focus on ways to communicate these ideas with the general public. Students' work is evaluated by independent experts. Offers students an opportunity to develop ideas from the fall semester and to work in labs across MIT. Limited to first-year students.

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Explores the role innovation can and does play in how humanitarian aid is provided, and how it can impact people, products, and processes. Provides a fundamental background in the history and practice of humanitarian aid. Considers the various ways that design can be used to enhance aid, such as product and system design for affected populations, co-creation with affected populations, and capacity building to promote design by refugees and the displaced. Case studies and projects examine protracted displacement as well as recovery and resettlement, including efforts in Colombia, Lebanon, Nepal, Sudan, and Uganda. Potential for students to travel over the summer to partner communities.

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Students explore possibilities of repurposed electronic devices in various sectors of development, including agriculture, education, health, and energy, for positive impact on people living in low-income communities. Guest lecturers provide insight into current trends in information and communication technology for development. Students work in teams to apply principles of participatory and inclusive design to projects developed in collaboration with community innovators in refugee camps in Northern Uganda and rural areas of Tanzania. Optional travel to Uganda and Tanzania during IAP with D-Lab field partners. Graduate students complete additional assignments.

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Opportunity for independent study under regular supervision by a staff member. Projects require prior approval, as well as a written proposal and final report. Students work with international community partners to continue developing projects, focusing on one or more issues in education, design, or public service. Final presentations and written reflection required. May be repeated for credit for a maximum of 12 units.

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Opportunity for independent study under regular supervision by a staff member. Projects require prior approval, as well as a written proposal and final report. Students work with international community partners to continue developing projects, focusing on one or more issues in education, design, or public service. Final presentations and written reflection required. May be repeated for credit for a maximum of 12 units.

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Issues in international development, appropriate technology and project implementation addressed through lectures, case studies, guest speakers and laboratory exercises. Students form project teams to partner with community organizations in developing countries, and formulate plans for an optional IAP site visit. (Previous field sites include Ghana, Brazil, Honduras and India.) Recitation sections focus on specific project implementation, and include cultural, social, political, environmental and economic overviews of the target countries as well as an introduction to the local languages. Enrollment limited by lottery; must attend first class session. In-person not required. (Meets with Undergrad level EC.701J/ 11.025J)

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A hands-on, project-focused class that engages students through community-based approaches to advance the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 7, which seeks to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy. Teams work on off-grid energy projects related to lighting, cooking, agricultural productivity, or other solutions with pre-selected community partners. Project work includes assessment of user needs, technology identification, product design, prototyping, and implementation strategies for ongoing projects. Optional January site visits may be available to test and implement the solutions developed during the semester. In-person not required. (Meets with EC.712/ 2.652J  Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.)

Prerequisites: None, but students who have taken 2.651/EC.711/EC.791 D-Lab: Energy Fundamentals will be given preference. Enrollment limited to 20 students.

https://d-lab.mit.edu/courses/energy-applications

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Explores the role innovation can and does play in how humanitarian aid is provided, and how it can impact people, products, and processes. Provides a fundamental background in the history and practice of humanitarian aid. Considers the various ways that design can be used to enhance aid, such as product and system design for affected populations, co-creation with affected populations, and capacity building to promote design by refugees and the displaced. Case studies and projects examine protracted displacement as well as recovery and resettlement, including efforts in Colombia, Lebanon, Nepal, Sudan, and Uganda. Potential for students to travel over the summer to partner communities.

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Provides an overview of pedagogical theories and core teaching skills that allow students to craft their own K-12 curriculum using the design process. Working in groups and collaborating with an international partner, students use the design process to create a final project for a specific audience that emphasizes hands-on, inclusive, project-based learning. Suitable for students with varying levels of teaching experience. Local fieldwork and K-12 classroom visits are required throughout the semester and international fieldwork may be available to students in the summer. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 10.

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Addresses mitigation and adaptation to climate change as it pertains to water and health. Focuses on regions where water-borne illness, malnutrition, and vector-borne diseases - problems that will worsen with increasing temperatures and urban overcrowding - represent the top three causes of morbidity and mortality. Includes readings, workshops and films that address water, climate change and health challenges and explore solutions. Field trips include coastal watershed restoration, flood protection, carbon sequestration, and zero-carbon sites in the Boston area. Students complete a term project and/or teach a class, setting the stage for a life-long commitment to communicating climate science to a broad public. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.

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Provides an overview of thermodynamics and heat transfer through an international development context to impart energy literacy and common sense applications. Students survey various alternative energy technologies and strategies for implementation in developing countries. Focuses on compact, robust, low-cost systems for generating electrical power and meeting household-level needs. Labs reinforce lecture material through deconstruction, system assembly, and sensor installation to track performance. Team projects involve activities, such as researching community needs, assessing the suitability of specific technologies, continuing the development of ongoing projects, and assessing the efficacy and impacts of existing projects. Optional summer fieldwork may be available. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Enrollment limited by lottery; must attend first class session.

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Students explore possibilities of repurposed electronic devices in various sectors of development, including agriculture, education, health, and energy, for positive impact on people living in low-income communities. Guest lecturers provide insight into current trends in information and communication technology for development. Students work in teams to apply principles of participatory and inclusive design to projects developed in collaboration with community innovators in refugee camps in Northern Uganda and rural areas of Tanzania. Optional travel to Uganda and Tanzania during IAP with D-Lab field partners. Graduate students complete additional assignments.

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Provides an introduction to the field of computational psychiatry from the perspective of technology platforms that can be applied to mental health and wellness. Identifies current needs and challenges informed by clinical practice, and reviews emerging technologies, including chatbots, social robots, wearable sensors, virtual reality, mobile phones, and digital phenotyping. Discusses related topics of privacy and ethical use. Students complete weekly written assignments as well as three design exercises over the course of the semester. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. (Meets with EC.744)

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Provides a technical introduction to decarbonizing building energy systems via the fundamentals of thermal energy networks. Introductory lectures with required field trips to three Net Zero sites in the Boston area provide first-hand experience with the technologies and systems involved in building decarbonization (transportation is arranged and free). All field trips take place during class sessions.

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Focuses on product development of technologies for people in less industrialized markets. Students work in interdisciplinary teams to develop previously established prototypes or technologies towards manufacturing-ready product designs. Topics are presented within the context of the developing world and include technology feasibility and scalability assessment; value chain analysis; product specification; design for affordability, manufacturability, usability, and desirability; and product testing and manufacturing at various scales. Lessons are experiential and case study-based; taught by instructors with field experience and by industry experts from product development consulting firms and the consumer electronics industry. In-person not required. (Meets with EC.729)

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Explores gender roles, illuminates the power dynamics and root causes of inequality, and provides a framework for understanding gender dynamics. Develops skills to conduct a gender analysis and integrate gender-sensitive strategies into large- and small-scale development solutions. Prompts critical discussion about social, economic, and political conditions that shape gender in development (particularly design and implementation of appropriate technology) as well as agricultural and job creation initiatives. In project development workshops students apply key tools to real-life situations, e.g., providing a gender analysis and making recommendations on how to incorporate gender considerations into an existing organization; developing programs in low-income communities; or building a gender component to be incorporated in a new initiative. Opportunities may be available for international fieldwork over IAP. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 12; must attend first class session. (Meets with EC.718J/ WGS.277J)

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Opportunity for independent study under regular supervision by a staff member. Projects require prior approval, as well as a written proposal and final report. Students work with international community partners to continue developing projects, focusing on one or more issues in education, design, or public service. Final presentations and written reflection required. May be repeated for credit for a maximum of 12 units.

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