The journey of Design for Social Impact (DSI), previously known as Engineering and Design for Society (EDS), began in February 2019 and is currently in its scale-up phase. This initiative represents an ongoing collaboration between the colleges of Business, Engineering, Liberal Arts, and Honors, with the Honors College acting as its primary host. Heading the program is Professor Julie Tucker, whose expertise spans engineering education and materials in extreme environments, and who has previously held positions as a professor at the College of Engineering and as the Director of the Materials Science Interdisciplinary Graduate Program. Professor Tucker now serves as the Academic Director for DSI.

DSI is creating new, university-wide undergraduate academic programs including a certificate centered on design, innovation, and social good. The "Design for Social Impact" certificate brings multi-disciplinary faculty and students together via a design-based core with multiple curricular focus areas such as transdisciplinary design, design for innovation in the arts, sustainable design, and design for social good. The experience concludes with multi-disciplinary projects serving employers/clients on authentic, real-world projects.

Moreover, as part of the DSI initiative, DSI 415 Multidisciplinary Design for Social Impact, is currently available on-site at the OSU Corvallis campus. This innovative course is tailored to equip students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and abilities to real-world societal issues. Centered on practical application, DSI 415 is a 4-credit hour, project-focused offering requiring an estimated commitment of 12 hours per week. Activities span from classroom discussions and design evaluations to team collaborations and project implementations beyond regular class sessions.

The Design for Social Impact certificate and DSI 415 are currently available. Enrollment for the Summer term of DSI 415 is open, while registration for the Fall term begins on May 19th. For further details about DSI and its programs, visit dsi.oregonstate.edu.

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