Celebrating a Decade of Design
The Design Lab Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary with a Combined World Design Capital Convocation Ceremony
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Under the evening sky, illuminated by the glow of the Epstein Family Amphitheatre, the UC San Diego Design Lab hosted the World Design Capital Convocation Ceremony, welcoming several hundred people from across the region and the world. Later the same evening, inside the Design Lab, researchers, students, and guests marked another milestone: the tenth anniversary of the lab’s founding. Against the backdrop of the international festivities, the lab showcased a decade of groundbreaking projects, the room alive with conversations of future technology and research. The event encapsulated the design philosophy the lab centers: creating an accessible and inclusive community that bridges individuals across all stages of their careers and education.
Chancellor Khosla shared the story of the Design Lab’s origins, recounting good-naturedly how he paid multiple visits to Don Norman to coax him out of retirement to start the lab.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Director of Cultural Affairs Jonathan Glus, World Design Capital Chief Operations Officer Joanna Salazar-Harris, and World Design Organization Community Engagement Officer Dorothee Bolade enjoy the festivities from the front row of the Epstein Family Amphitheater. Photo credit: Nathaniel Abuan.
Inside the lab, guests were greeted by displays of the lab’s research, ranging from detailed posters and dynamic videos to intricate, laser-cut wooden prototypes. One of the works presented was by Manas Bedmutha, a third-year Ph.D. student in UC San Diego’s Department of Computer Science. His presentation focused on a developing AI system designed to track bias in conversations between doctors, paving the way for more constructive discussions on addressing these biases. For Bedmutha, however, the benefits of meaningful dialogue began even before the anniversary celebration.
Hours before the event, Bedmutha was approached by a WDC attendee from a university in Bangalore, leading to a fruitful discussion about design across universities.
Design Lab founder Don Norman also spoke at the event. Photo credit: Nathaniel Abuan.
“Design is no longer an isolated practice where people are doing things in silos,” Bedmutha said. “Just uniting all these people at once was a splendid opportunity.”
The theme of unity and collaboration across individuals at all stages defined the tenth anniversary, providing a space for researchers to grow and hone their skills in presenting to diverse audiences.
An attendee views displays of ongoing work on the Lifesaver project in the Design Lab. Photo credit: Nathaniel Abuan.
Sirui Tao, a master’s student in computer science, presented his research on a generative AI tool and credited the event’s casual atmosphere—and great food—with providing a comfortable space to practice presenting to diverse audiences.
“The anniversary provided a space for me to talk about my project,” Tao said. “The shifts in audiences helped me adopt new sets of language to present my research.”
The 10th anniversary festivities were more than just a celebration of past achievements–it was a showcase of what can be accomplished with interdisciplinary collaboration and humanity-centered design. From fostering unexpected collaborations to sparking dialogues that cross disciplines and borders, the event embodied the lab’s commitment to designing a future shaped by inclusivity and innovation.
“2024 was a launching pad, a platform for our cross-border region to come together and connect around design, art, culture, and innovation,” said Mai Nguyen, the director of the Design Lab in her opening remarks for the evening. “Those connective tissues are what will last.”
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