Yifan Zhang’s thesis, 夕照闻: Fostering Connection and Belonging for Elderly Chinese Immigrants, reimagines aging not as a period of retreat, but as an opportunity to design for cultural continuity, emotional resilience, and meaningful connection among elderly Chinese immigrants in the U.S.

In his thesis Deafscape and Hearingscape: Communication Beyond Spoken Language, Yuancong reframes communication design by focusing not on "fixing" Deaf experiences to fit hearing norms, but on creating shared spaces where both communities can thrive equally. Through interviews with CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults), DHPs (Deaf children of hearing parents), sign language interpreters, and special education experts, he uncovered a critical pain point: the imbalance of language proficiency within families, leading to emotional disconnection despite technological access.

Jiaqi Gu’s thesis, Cultivating Financial Roots: Growing Children’s Financial Literacy for Life, explores how early financial literacy can shape lifelong money habits. Growing up in a family where money was rarely discussed, Jiaqi experienced firsthand the confusion many young adults face when making major financial decisions for the first time. His project addresses this gap by focusing on children ages 6 to 12—a formative stage for developing lasting habits and attitudes toward money. Guided by the belief that financial education is not just about saving and spending, but about designing a more secure and empowered life, Jiaqi’s work reimagines how families can talk about money through playful, meaningful experiences.

Building Arduino circuits and writing C++ was a central focus of the class of 2026’s first-semester Making Studio course with Becky Stern. Here are some of our favorite projects from this class, in which students designed, built, and code electronic solutions for problems ranging from habit-building, being too noisy in the library, and working out smarter— not harder.

A nature-inspired sound-sensing wall lamp designed by Rida Zeng ‘26 to support meditation and bring harmony into your space.

Our first-year students wrapped up the first intensive course of the spring semester: Intervention Interaction, taught by Sigi Moeslinger and Masamichi Udagawa of Antenna Design. In just 5 weeks, students designed and constructed public interventions that aimed to spark interactions between members of community around SVA campus— with each team of 3 to 4 students optimizing their designs for a particular outcome.

An innovative installation by Tao Tao Holmes ‘25, Zai Thakoor ‘25, and Jin Zhu ‘25 that invites passersby to playfully maneuver themselves through a series of vertical panels, stimulating movement, play, and public interaction.

Under the guidance of Suma Reddy, founder of Riffle Ventures and Gather—a robotic harvesting companion—the class of 2026 dug into climate issues as the basis of entrepreneurial explorations during first semester’s Entrepreneurship for Sustainability and Resilience course. Read through some of our favorite business solutions for problems ranging from wildfire mitigation in Canada, rooftop urban gardens to support native bee populations, and the potential for cemeteries to serve as communal parks preserving our connection to the past as well as our environment.

A breath-activated diffuser designed by Yuancong Jing ’25 and Nymph Yang ’25 to support focus and reduce procrastination-related thoughts.

A product line of spicy treats designed by Emma Brigaud ’25 and Haley Kim ’25 for health-conscious Gen Z adults who seek stress-relief through snacking.

The Nimbus Cloud Shower Chair, designed by Elaine Gao ’25 and Harsha Pillai ’25, is a high-end shower chair for affluent young professionals who consider self-care a top priority.

Introducing the Abra Duo: A dual-use desk and dining table designed by Erica Fink ’25 and Jin Zhu ’25 for professionals working from home in small to mid-size apartments.

As part of the product development cycle we’ve been looking at our product ideas through different lenses. Last week, we explored how our products could be reimagined as services, and created storyboards to help communicate these ideas. Check out some of our favorite frames from the class of 2026!

Noor is a safety box and app designed specifically for women living in abusive households, allowing them to discreetly collect and document evidence of abuse. Created as part of Ria John's thesis, Empowerment in Disguise: Supporting South Asian Immigrant Women Experiencing Violence in the US, Noor envisions a supportive and empowering community for South Asian domestic violence survivors, offering the resources and solidarity they desperately need.

Ingeniously designed to resemble a menstrual product, the Noor box leverages the cultural stigma and taboos surrounding menstruation as a safeguard against unwanted scrutiny.

Lumineo is a therapeutic sleep device designed to help individuals suffering from PTSD-induced nightmares. Developed by Rora Pan for her thesis, Dreamscapes of Healing: Exploring Therapeutic Avenues for Nightmares, Lumineo combines advanced sensory, auditory, and visual technologies with light cues and guided deep breathing exercises to create a holistic sleep aid system. This multifaceted approach promotes restful sleep and alleviates the severity of nightmares, guiding users toward peaceful nights and rejuvenating mornings.

Spiced Stories is a subscription-based kit that offers a unique twist on the classic dinner-and-a-movie experience by seamlessly blending the richness of South Indian movies with delectable meal recipes crafted by the South Indian community in the United States. Designed as part of Heba Jaleel's thesis, We Too Belong Here: Uniting and Strengthening South Indians through Community Collaboration, the project targets young adults aged 18 to 34, including both working individuals and international students in New York, catering to a market hungry for authenticity and connection.

In her thesis, Longing for Belonging: Rediscovering Community Through Third Places, Prerna Sharma explored the transformative potential of community spaces. This journey culminated in People & Places, an event series that reflected her vision for dynamic environments where people can connect and create. Designed to bring together young creatives in a spontaneous, collaborative art project, the event fostered an atmosphere of energy, playfulness, and genuine connection.

Dandelight is a basic emergency kit for women and girls facing climate disasters and emergencies. Designed by Cyntia Abarca for her thesis, Changing Climate: Elevating Women and Youth as Agents of Action, the project addresses both energy access and the specific needs of women in crisis situations. The kit includes menstrual essentials and a solar panel charger, all housed in a waterproof, ergonomic fanny pack. As Cyntia explains, "Securing access in frontline communities presents significant challenges, from obtaining resources and communication to providing specific products for women and girls, with energy being crucial for access to all of these."

Natya.AI is an app designed specifically for Bharatanatyam dancers, offering real-time voice and visual feedback during practice sessions. Developed by Yukti Arora as part of her thesis, Democratizing Bharatnatyam: Investigating the Interplay Between Dance and AI, this project explores how Artificial Intelligence can bridge the gap between tradition and technology, making the 2,500-year-old Indian classical dance form more accessible to today's dancers.

Have you ever heard of a period party? Traditionally, it's a celebration marking the first period as a rite of passage. Blood Sugar ~ for any time of the month reimagines this tradition as a moment of care and celebration for menstruators at any stage of their menstrual lifecycle. Created by Sama Srinivas for her thesis, Let's Talk Periods: Practicing Menstrual Confidence Through Conversations, this period party and cake shop is all about “baking menstrual confidence into every celebration.”