The Complex Systems and Service Design Lab of the University of the Aegean, represented by researcher Andrianos Pappas, recently took part in educational activities organised in Volos by our research collaborators in Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Thessaly (THMMY) and the Creative Technologies Learning Lab. These activities were oriented around design of innovative solutions that apply digital technology to sustainability. The 3rd Middle School of Nea Ionia of Volos and the Public School of Vocational Training (SAEK) of Volos participated and visited THMMY on different days, on 23 and 24 October 2024 respectively. A total of 22 students from the 3rd Middle School of Nea Ionia and 50 students from the public SAEK participated in the activities.
Students participated in experiential innovation workshops, with activities tailored to the interests, knowledge, skills, and educational background of each group. They applied design thinking, a deeply human-centered methodology for synthesizing solutions to difficult entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship challenges, to introduce solutions related to the United Nations Sustainability Goals (UN SDGs). Through processes of exploration, ideation, and synthesis, participants presented creative ideas to address sustainability challenges such as plastics management, the use of electrification to reduce carbon emissions, recycling, biodiversity conservation, poverty awareness, and others.
The activity was carried out in the framework of the eDea research project (edea-project.gr) funded by the Research – Create – Innovate Greece 2.0 programme. eDea aims at designing digital services and content to promote innovation. The project is being implemented from 2021 to 2025 with the participation of the University of Thessaly, the University of the Aegean, and the companies Design4Future and Butlair. On behalf of the University of the Aegean, the project is coordinated by Argyris Arnellos