Since its launch in 2022, the MIT Morningside Academy for Design (MAD) has supported MIT graduate students with a camaraderie, allowing recipients to pursue research and design projects while building community. Drawing on different aspects of design, they explore solutions in areas such as sustainability, health, architecture, urban planning, engineering and social justice.
On May 1, MAD announced the 2024 cohort of Design Fellows at the MIT Museum.
Meet the 2024 MIT MAD Design Fellows
Video: MIT Morningside Academy of Design
Sofia ChiapperoMCP student in Department of Urban Studies and Planning And MITdesignX affiliate: Chiappero works at the intersection of community development and technology, aiming to address the challenges faced by underserved communities at risk of displacement in Latin America. Through a blend of social sciences and digital inclusion, she seeks to design a new approach to researching human interactions and replicating them in virtual environments, with the ultimate goal of preserving the identity of these communities and giving them a visibility for resilient growth.
Clemence CouteauMBA candidate in MIT Sloan School of Management: Couteau is tackling the rise in postpartum depression among American mothers by aiming to develop a digital solution for at-risk pregnant women to improve their mental health outcomes. It is a self-directed therapeutic chatbot in a mobile application, based on the “ROSE” protocol.
Mateo Fernándezmaster's student in Department of Architecture: Fernandez explores how to move away from the current construction industry, designing alternatives such as growing buildings with biomaterials and deploying advanced 3D printing technologies for construction.
Charlotte Folindoctoral student in Department of Mechanical Engineering: Folinus creates new methods for designing soft robots, using these tools to design soft robots for gentle interactions, uncertain environments, and long mechanical lifespans. “I'm really excited to be surrounded by people who can do things that I can't do. That’s when I’m the best version of myself. I think that’s the community I’m going to find here,” she says.
Alexandre Htet Kyawmaster's student in Department of Architecture and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering And MITdesignX affiliate: Htet Kyaw's current research uses robotic assembly, multimodal interaction, and generative AI to challenge conventional manufacturing practices. He works on an AI-driven workflow that translates design intent into tangible objects through robotic assembly.
Denis Lopez PhD student in Department of Urban Studies and Planning: As a Design Fellow, López uses design research to evaluate and expand the reach of Bicheeche Diidxa', a long-running participatory action research initiative for disaster resilience focused on five Zapotec communities along the Los River Perros in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Caitlin Morrisdoctoral student in media arts and sciences: Morris' research explores the role of multisensory influences on cognition and learning, and seeks to find and build bridges between digital and computer interfaces and hands-on, community-centered learning and teaching practices .
Maxine Perroni-Scharfdoctoral student in Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Perroni-Scharf is currently working to develop techniques enabling the discovery and design of extreme metamaterials – 3D printed materials that exhibit extreme properties arising not from their chemical composition, but rather from their structure. These can be applied to a variety of tasks, from battery design to accessibility.
Lyle Regenwetterdoctoral student in Department of Mechanical Engineering: Regenwetter develops methods to integrate design requirements, such as security constraints and performance goals, into the training process of generative AI models.
Zane Schemmerdoctoral student in Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Schemmer's research aims to minimize the carbon footprint of the built environment by designing efficient structures that take into account the availability of local materials.