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This course identifies topics for community engagements, and provides a direct collaborative immersion in research and design thinking material practices in order to pose questions, frame research, and solve problems. It is hands-on and minds-on; and engages current opportunities for civic engagement and identification of design-based solutions. An emphasis is placed on the ability to think through complex problems, and pose solutions through acts of civic engagement informed by specific disciplinary and design-based solutions. The course is taught in a seminar setting, with presentations, discussion, and design exercises presented and made in class through design studio practices. The course will research and tackle a topical problem that has both local and global repercussions and formulate potential modes of positive design-based solutions as related to social, cultural, and environmental frameworks. Offered to students of all disciplines, it manifests inclusivity and diversity in its scope, breadth, and practice.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize that issues instrumental to the public good exist both in their community as both part of the day to day immediate environment, and also potentially exist in a global context.
  
• Identify possible ways of engaging critical issues in society through design thinking based practices and solution. 
• Students will formulate a research interest, conduct video interviews, produce a topical essay, and present design research findings in a public forum.

This course provides a multidisciplinary description of concussion including: medicine, psychology, biomedical, technology, equipment design, and ethics. Concussion Perspectives Learning Objectives:

• Quantify differences between male and female concussions across different sports and environments and how this impacts society
• Know the legal implications of concussion, including past lawsuits and laws that have been implemented to protect athletes
• Understand the principles and techniques regarding the basic diagnostic and treatments used for concussions
• Evaluate the credibility and potential misuse of scientific information involving concussions especially involving conflicts of interest
• Learn about the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings program for all sports