In January 2022, the GID Lab team met with iDEA School Mathematic Instructors Mari Thiersch and Jennifer Flonacher, and their newly formed STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) Social Innovation Lab to explore a new partnership around innovation and design. iDEA School is a Tacoma Public High School specializing in Industrial Design, Engineering, and the Arts. The new club includes students from the Tacoma School of the Arts (SOTA), located adjacent to UW Tacoma campus, and the Science and Math Institute (SAMi), located at Point Defiance Park.

The initial meeting took place virtually during iDEA’s January mini-term. Twenty-five high school students had the opportunity to meet graduate students and GID Lab team members, Lan Allison and Autumn Diaz, to discuss elements of design thinking and student life. The students, in turn, shared ideas for their research topics, which included climate change, racism and oppression, representation in STEAM industries, and bias in education. Research was based on questions around local initiatives and calls to action. As one instructor explained, “The data defines the issue, and the students define the solutions.” The mini-term allowed students to conduct scientific research, learn data visualization software, and practice public speaking to present their findings. Students enjoyed the process with one describing the experience as “eye-opening” when learning about bullying at school through the eyes of peers. Empathy and understanding were a central part of the learning process.

Stay tuned for more news on this exciting partnership!