New Wave is a research project developing the next stage of understanding, modification, and development of a stronger Climate Design curriculum

A Partner Project led by Stevie Bales, Zoe Edington, and team

But first we need to address the barriers to Climate Design* curriculum:

“The belief that Climate is
too niche.”

“The inability to change curriculum due to higher-ed bureaucracy.”

“Lack of funding to support Climate Design in the classroom.”

“A fear of failure to truly make a difference.”

*Based on our previous research described in our New Wave reports

New Wave is meant to uncover:

  1. How design students perceive sustainability in their design field.

  2. What design educators are currently experiencing in the classroom.

  3. Ways to build a strong Climate Design curriculum in every design classroom.

Stay in touch with New Wave

Get our latest New Wave report & Newsletter delivered to your inbox.

Over the past few years we have conducted research with design students and educators to gain insights into their education experiences, compiling this into an easy-to-digest report. To get access to the latest report and our monthly newsletter full of updates and events, fill out the contact form below and we will deliver it straight to your inbox.

FAQ

  • If we can teach students how to design for a sustainable world, we will be one step closer to enacting real and powerful climate action. To do that, though, we need to develop a toolkit of sorts, to make climate design a part of all design education. This research will help do that. 

  • Answers will be recorded and analyzed for common themes and studied to find relationships between different themes. This data will then be used to create systems, toolkits, and other assets to assist in climate design curriculum building. The answers participants give will be stored for as long as the research project continues.

  • This research will inform the New Wave initiative on what tools will be best to help bring climate design into every design classroom. It will develop effective climate design education resources that educators can easily transfer to their curriculums.

Listen to Our Climify Episode

Learn more about New Wave by listening to Stevie and Zoë on Climify, a podcast connecting climate scientists and design educators together to address the climate crisis.

Their episode “Reimagining Design Education: Stevie Bales and Zoë Edington on Climate Action” is available on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The New Wave Research Project is independent of Climate Designers. The views expressed and sources listed in the New Wave Research Project are solely the authors’ own, and do not represent the views of Climate Designers.