Co-Design Collaborative (Co-Lab)

Goals

The Co-Design Collaborative (Co-Lab) works alongside organizations and communities in seeking to answer the question: How can we design more equitable and inclusive spaces for participation? This team collaborates on projects that span disciplinary boundaries to reimagine the processes by which we organize to make progress on enduring and emerging challenges facing our communities (e.g., peacebuilding, food justice, inequity). In doing so, students have the opportunity to cultivate their critical and creative knowledge and skills, engage with a variety of organizational and community partners, and produce both academic and practical outcomes.

Issues Involved or Addressed

Students can be involved in one or more of the Co-Lab’s current projects:

#ShiftThePower Project
With current partners, students can collaborate around a co-designed project looking at efforts to reimagine and “shift the power” in relationships between funders, international organizations, civil society organizations, and communities operating within the international women’s development sector. The project involves the use of multiple qualitative and participatory methods in partnership with World Pulse, a women-led, global social network for social change with members from more than 200 countries and territories.

College Student Hunger Project
As part of ongoing work with campus partners (e.g., Campus Pantry, Basic Needs Coalition) as well as partners at other institutions, students can collaborate on projects designed to address issues of food access among U.S. college students, which can affect students’ abilities to stay enrolled and graduate. This project involves the use of multiple methods (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, participatory) to engage students and other stakeholders around this topic. 

Methods and Tech

  • Community engagement 
  • Participatory design
  • Design justice
  • Participatory action research
  • Narrative and storytelling methods
  • Qualitative data analysis
  • Creative and critical thinking
  • Collaboration 
  • Facilitation
  • Public outreach

Academic Majors of Interest

Open to all majors and minors, with particular interest in:

  • Arts 
  • Anthropology
  • Communication
  • Education
  • Food Studies
  • Gender & Women’s Studies
  • Geography
  • Journalism
  • Public & Applied Humanities
  • Public Health
  • Public Policy
  • Social Work
  • Social, Cultural, and Critical Theory
  • Sociology

Preferred Interests and Preparation

Skills and Interests

  • Basic computer skills
  • Excellent writing and communication skills
  • Ability to collaborate and maintain relationships
  • Strong time management and organization skills

Attributes

  • Curious and open to learning
  • Highly motivated and takes initiative
  • Enjoys working independently and collaboratively
  • Demonstrates strong attention to detail
  • Committed to working with and alongside communities

Application Process

To express interest in this team, please complete the VIP Interest Form and select "Co-Design Collaborative (Co-Lab). "

This team accepts new students at the start of each semester. This VIP team is open to taking on student researchers for course credit. Paid positions may also be available. Contact the Team Advisor to discuss course options and other opportunities. 

Team Advisor

Jasmine Linabary, PhD