The Design Lab

This winter, the UC San Diego Design Lab is launching Design@Large: Design to Action – Building Innovation and Impact, a six-part public series focused on what it actually takes to turn ideas into lasting work.

Across six Wednesdays, we will explore how design shows up in real contexts. How early ideas find direction. How momentum is built with partners and communities. And how meaningful work becomes embedded in systems that endure.

Design@Large brings together students, researchers, civic partners, business leaders, and community practitioners to look closely at the real work behind innovation. Not just the outcomes, but the decisions, relationships, and practices that make impact possible.

📍 Design and Innovation Building, UC San Diego
🗓 January 14 to February 25, 2026
🕓 Wednesdays at 4 PM

The series features leaders working across design, architecture, culture, equity, and entrepreneurship, with more speakers to be announced.

At the Design Lab, we advance humanity-centered AI to design just futures. Design@Large is one way that mission comes to life through conversation, collaboration, and shared learning.

Register here with Eventbrite: https://lnkd.in/g8JH6fJf

📆Join us for Design@Large!
When: Wednesday, January 29
What: Online drama is often seen negatively, but it can also serve as a productive space for negotiating social norms and power dynamics. Drawing on Victor Turner’s concept of ‘social drama,’ this talk examines how TikTok users, particularly marginalized groups, engage in drama to address racism, sexism, and homophobia, leveraging platform affordances to foster socially progressive norms and digital Black feminism. The discussion highlights both the opportunities and challenges these dynamics create for marginalized communities in digital spaces.
Who: guest speaker Chelsea Peterson-Salahuddin.

🎟️ Register now through the link in our bio!
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/ucsd/ https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/design/

Last night, the Design Lab Impact and Student Culture Organization (DISCO) kicked off the new year in style with a happy hour to welcome the new DISCO lead, Aaron Broukhim!
It was a night of connection, inspiration, and big plans for 2025. Aaron is a PhD student in Computer Science & Engineering.
Here’s to another year of innovation, collaboration, and building a stronger student culture. Let’s make it one to remember!

📆Join us for Design@Large!
When: Wednesday, January 22
What: Online harassment threatens digital safety, but defending against it is challenging due to varying personal, social, and cultural expectations. This talk explores recent work on designing defenses to protect individuals and communities. It includes a study on differing perceptions of harassment and improving toxicity detectors, a participatory design study with journalists on community-driven protections, and thoughts on future anti-abuse defenses for a safer Internet.
Who: guest speaker Deepak Kumar.

🎟️ Register now through the link in our bio!

Register now for Design@Large!

Wednesday, January 15:
More than ever, AI has the power to recommend, suggest, modify, and generate messages on behalf of human communicators. This is a phenomenon known as AI-mediated communication (AI-MC). While AI-MC can enhance communication efficiency, it also influences outcome perceptions, language use, trust, and attitudes in ways not yet fully understood. Over the last six years, Naaman's research has explored these effects, revealing how AI-MC impacts message ownership, interpersonal evaluations, and even shifts in expressed attitudes. AI-MC also raises ethical concerns, disproportionately affecting different demographic groups and their AI usage perceptions. This talk highlights experimental findings, emphasizing the need for responsible development to address the profound implications of AI-MC on human communication. Guest speaker: Mor Naaman.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-autocomplete-to-auto-everything-tickets-1091278797259?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

🌟 What an inspiring evening! 🌟
Tonight, our community gathered at the Design & Innovation Building to have an open and meaningful conversation about one of today’s most emotional topics: racism.
Author and designer-in-residence Carrie M. Sawyer launched her new book, Ripples of Inclusion, with a thought-provoking talk and an honest Q&A session that created space for connection, learning, and growth.
From thought-provoking questions to authentic, heartfelt discussions, the event highlighted the Design Lab’s commitment to designing an inclusive, just, and sustainable future for people and the planet 💬❤️

Let’s keep the ripples going!
✨

📣 The Design Lab welcomes our community to a special book launch event and Q&A with “Ripples of Diversity” author Carrie Sawyer !

✨Come join us for a meaningful and practical conversation about one of today’s most emotional topics. “Bring your questions—whether they’re big, small, or in-between,” says Sawyer. “No question is too small or awkward, and every curiosity is encouraged.”

✨ Plus, enjoy book-signing, networking, and building community! RSVP by Wednesday, 12/4 (link in bio).

Thursday, December 12, 2024, 5:30-7:30pm
The Design Lab

Led by some of our most influential Tijuana design colleagues--don't miss it!

Thought Leaders: This is Your Moment ✨🌍

Are you ready to lead the way in shaping a better future? The Beyond Boundaries conference is calling all visionaries, creative catalysts, and cultural activists to step up. Over 2 days and 4 transformative tracks, we’ll explore bold ideas and innovations designed to challenge the status quo.

From Beyond Borders to Beyond Innovation, this is more than a conference—it’s a movement. Dive deep into creativity, witness groundbreaking performances, and connect with fellow change-makers who, like you, are ready to shape the future.

Your influence starts here. Don’t miss your chance to ignite change and leave your mark on the world of design. 🌱

🎟️ Get your ticket at https://wdc2024.org/design-policy-conference/

Use code DESIGN24 at checkout for 25% off for a limited time only!



The Design Lab
World Design Organization
City of San Diego

🌟 Innovate & Inspire: A Day with the WDC 2024 Youth Club 🌟

Join us for a transformative day of creativity and collaboration! 🧘‍♂️✨ Start with mindfulness and meditation, then dive into workshops that empower the voices of young creators to shape a better future. 🌍🎨 Let’s unite in designing a world where innovation meets inclusion!

📅 October 10th, 2024
🕙 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
📍 The Exchange Pavilion, Plaza de Panama, Balboa Park, San Diego

Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and inspire. 🌱

A fun night of creative, forward-focused design thinking! Because of the significance of this content, and in celebration of San Diego Tijuana World Design Capital 2024, PechaKucha founders Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein will be here to host this event! List of presenters will be released soon. Theme: 50 Years Forward: Ambitious ideas to reshape our future 🗓️ Date: Friday, October 11, 2024 ⏰ Time: 6-10PM 📍Location: Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Avenue, Barrio Logan Cost: The event is free but we are requesting a $20 donation* 💥 PLUS, everyone who donates through the RSVP link will be automatically entered to win a stunning Taylor GS Mini Mahogany guitar! 🎸🎶 Check it out here: https://wdc2024.org/events/wdc-2024-pechakucha-night/