Pandemic-resistant smart cities reimagined in student design experience

Few times in history have seen a more dire need to find solutions to a global societal crisis than the present.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically raised a challenge to fast-track discovery and implement innovations to avert further tragic consequences of the disease, says Anthony Kuhn, a lecturer in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University.

Kuhn and industry professionals with Infosys, a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, recently facilitated an ASU Innovation Week/Innovation Quarter engineering, technology and product design experience. Called Reimagine Smart Cities in a post-COVID World, the event offered ASU students an opportunity to step up to a demanding test of their ingenuity.  

The five-day endeavor, conducted virtually from January 4 through 8, tasked students with formulating and pitching ideas for employing high-tech devices and systems to enable urban centers to better protect people from threats of pandemics.

In an opening address, Infosys Vice President of Sustainability and Design Consulting Corey Glickman told students that more than half the world’s population will be living in cities within the foreseeable future. That could set the stage for future COVID-like dangers, he said, unless we can develop better tools and resources to provide densely populated metropolitan regions the means and methods to effectively respond to and halt budding potential pandemics.

Students were directed to focus on ideas for ways to integrate pandemic-resistant practices into the operations of health care systems, the design and construction of public infrastructure systems and other built environments, as well as transportation systems and services.

Embracing the entrepreneurial mindset

To guide their efforts to fulfill the design objectives, students consulted with mentors from ASU and companies recognized as global leaders in technological innovation — including Infosys, Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks.

Kuhn, Glickman and other mentors advised students that the most critical goal was to demonstrate that their proposed solutions would be both technically and financially feasible, and address user experience factors such as adaptability and desirability.

Students were also given lessons by Kuhn and Cheryl Heller on key elements of design processes that companies use to formulate ideas for moonshot projects. Heller is a director of design innovation and a professor of practice in ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, W. P. Carey School of Business and the Fulton Schools.

Students had to be prepared to give the event’s judges answers to many related questions: Could the proposed tech solution be efficiently scaled up and deployed to meet the needs of sizable populations? Is the solution unique or an adaptation of existing technology? Does your business model show convincingly how the venture will benefit users, investors and other stakeholders?

They also had to be ready to address any potentially problematic social implications of the development and use of new technologies, along with queries about how their venture would confront possible challenges from competitors in the marketplace.

“It’s all about adopting the entrepreneurial mindset when you prepare your business pitch,” Kuhn says. “That helps you clarify your message when you have to boil down complex technological concepts into simple and compelling ideas.”

The students “showed true dedication to their work. They went from ideation to prototyping in just five days, while also balancing obligations of full-time jobs and families,” Kuhn says.

Showcasing students’ range of high-demand skills

Glickman says all of the participants “were very impressive in the ways they worked to create solutions that were both innovative and practical from the viewpoint of good design, technical feasibility and business viability, all in just a week of intensive activity.”

Each student who participated earned LinkedIn Digital Badges, a credential intended to validate individuals’ skills and their achievements in learning programs or activities such as the Smart Cities design experience.

More importantly, students had opportunities “to develop their toolbox of technical skills that are in demand by top employers,” says Robin Hammond, director of the Fulton Schools of Engineering Career Center. “By co-sponsoring programs like this, we can take an active role in facilitating and supporting students on their journey to be day-one career ready.”

The center assisted with planning and advertising the event, recruiting industry partners and the keynote speaker (Glickman), and negotiated exclusive access to Wingspan, a collaboration and skills-building platform, which enabled the ASU event. All participants were provided access to Wingspan as a learning reference. The career center also planned and organized a networking session with industry partners and Innovation Quarter participants and donated $2,000 for book scholarships.

The event was a prime example of university-industry partnerships that “help to bridge the gap between education, research and the workforce,” says Grace O’Sullivan, vice president of Corporate Engagement and Strategic Partnerships within ASU Knowledge Enterprise.

“These partnerships not only provide students opportunities such as internships and job placement after graduation but also enhance their educational experience with opportunities such as pipeline programs and applied research projects,” O’Sullivan says. “Infosys is a strategic partner for ASU and this engagement offers a first look at innovative research and access to our diverse talent pool.”

“Infosys has always been a promoter of providing students with real-life experience to drive their success. This unique university-industry partnership is a significant step toward that goal,” says Sambit Mohanty, head of education for Infosys in North America.

“As comprehensive strategic partners, Infosys and ASU are committed to collaborating over a broad spectrum of high value engagements,” Mohanty says, noting that the growing partnership involves thought leadership, talent development, educational attainment, experiential learning and commercial implementation. 

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