Life-like prosthetics, empowerment campaigns and tools to combat culture shock will be on display as Drexel Seniors from the Product Design program in the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design debut their senior thesis projects on May 27, from 3:30-5 p.m. at the Pearlstein Gallery.
Seven forward-looking seniors took on the challenge of developing a personal philosophy through their design education to bring to light issues normally left underexplored. The goal is to spark a conversation that can affect positive societal change. The exhibition is an accumulation of four years of design education. Senior theses were brought to life after an seven months of planning, researching, creative process and construction.
The product design senior show will be on display in the Leonard Pearlstein Galley in the URBN Center Annex (3401 Filbert St.) until Monday, May 30 from 11:30-6p.m. Highlights include a system to teach culture through food, a modular prosthetic limb and a journal to empower students abroad.
Extensive research lead Yudan (Danielle) Chen to craft a Chinese Learning Lunchbox. The Chinese Learning Lunchbox is a system for American-born Chinese children to learn about and experience Chinese culture through food. “I wanted to connect to my Chinese cultural heritage,” she said. “There is a big disconnect between American-born Chinese and their Chinese cultural heritage.” The Chinese Learning Lunch box arrives once a month and will provide authentic fresh ingredients, a step-by-step recipe, an informational booklet on the experience and a Chinese food map.
Arvid Roach designed TYR 3, a modular prosthetic limb that mimics the layers of the human arm to provide superior comfort, utility and beauty. “The skin is separated into three sections that slide up the arm and snap into place,” said. “In addition to facilitating different amputation levels, attachment points at strategic locations offer more accurate skin movement and separate segments also makes removal less difficult.”
After traveling abroad and spending six months in Berlin, Germany, Jemma Frost wanted to empower students studying abroad to take control of their personal narratives as a mechanism to overcome any negative effects resulting from culture shock. Frost created Journey, a physical/digital journal that encourages students to have meaningful reflection and engagement with life in their new culture by recommending events, venues and friends. “The application allows students to create text or photo journal entries to share with their social media, save to their Journey app for engagement use or to wirelessly send to print,” Frost said.
“Unlike other design programs, students are encouraged to experiment and the core of their design education is gained through this intuitive process of discovery,” said Michael Glaser, director of the Product Design program. “Experimental learning empowers the mind to address questions and solve difficult problems that push the boundaries of what designers can tackle.”
Other projects on exhibit include a concept for a self-driving car, a system of display and organization for renters, a campaign that encourages civilians to connect with veterans and a storytelling system that helps members of a community, who have been affected by a tragedy.
For media inquiries, contact Emily Storz: els332@drexel.edu or 215-895-2705.
