The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Master of Science in Design plus Innovation (MD+I) is an interdisciplinary, accelerated masters program where students design, develop and implement innovative products or services to solve a problem. This year their focus is on bees and the role they play on Wisconsin’s ecosystem and food security.
Trudy Watt, the academic director of the program says, “Our students, equipped with distinctive viewpoints, collaborate organically, fostering an environment ripe for groundbreaking innovations.”
Recognizing the significance of pollinators and their declining populations, students are delving into a comprehensive semester-long study. Their mission: to grasp the landscape influencing beekeepers, bees, and the broader food systems we interact with daily.
“The decline in bee populations poses a tangible challenge impacting our everyday experiences,” explains Watt. “Our students are working to decipher the complex factors affecting bee ecosystems. They’re working to create innovative solutions that positively impact bee populations and, subsequently, food security.”
Following this semester of in-depth comprehension, students will transition into the creation phase, generating prototypes and solutions aimed at mitigating the challenges faced by bee populations. The solutions will be ready to be implemented come May.
Leave a Reply