20 Oct DEAN’S SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE
Open to students university wide, and hosted by the School of Architecture and Design
The Dean’s Sustainability Challenge is an advanced seminar that empowers students to tackle contemporary sustainability challenges through innovative, design-driven solutions. Each year, participants will be introduced to a pressing environmental or social sustainability issue and work in interdisciplinary teams to develop a viable business venture addressing this challenge.
Throughout the course, students will receive targeted content to deepen their understanding of the year’s sustainability theme, gaining insights from industry leaders, case studies, and emerging technologies. In parallel, they will enhance their entrepreneurial skills—learning strategies for venture development, impact-driven business modeling, and pitching ideas to stakeholders.
This hands-on seminar is ideal for students eager to apply their design expertise to real-world sustainability problems while developing the entrepreneurial mindset necessary to launch innovative solutions. The course culminates in a final pitch event where teams present their ventures to a panel of experts.
MATAN/TARYN MAYER/MEAD
Taryn Mead and Matan Mayer are professors in the School of Architecture and Design, focused on circularity and sustainability in the designed and built worlds. Taryn’s focus is on sustainable materials and nature-inspired design and Matan’s focus is on circular design and construction.
Skills
1. Sustainability Knowledge & Application
Students will develop a deep understanding of contemporary sustainability challenges, analyzing environmental, social, and economic factors to identify impactful solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future.
2. Venture Creation & Business Strategy
Students will learn to design and develop a sustainable business venture by applying entrepreneurial principles, including lean startup methodologies, business model development, customer validation, and financial planning.
3. Ideation & Innovation in Problem-Solving
Students will apply design thinking and creative problem-solving techniques to generate innovative ideas, rapidly prototype solutions, and refine their concepts based on feedback and iterative testing.
Schedule
Which dates?
02-mar
09-mar
16-mar
16-mar
13-apr
20-apr
What day?
MONDAYS
What time?
14,00-15,30