About this Event
We invite you explore hands-on experiences, learn about these projects, and engage with the students behind them. Come see how design and innovation are being used to spark conversation and create meaningful experiences.
Five projects were funded through a competitive application process in the Spring of 2026. All faculty, students, and the general public are invited to hear about student experiences engaging in design along with their industry mentors. Food will be served! The event will take place in person at the Jarvis Center.
DATE: Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 6:00-8:00 PM CDT
SCHEDULE:
- 5:45PM - 6PM - Arrival, Food is served
- 6:15PM - Introduction of IMPACT Grant Projects, demonstrations of interactive exhibits begin
- 7:40PM - Discussion
- 8:00PM - End of Event
LOCATION: DePaul University - Jarvis Student Center for Innovation and Collaboration, 1 East Jackson Boulevard Concourse Level, Chicago, IL 60604
This program is made possible through the generous donation of an anonymous donor.
Student Projects include:
Cost of a Click 2.0: The Environment Remembers
Cost of a Click 2.0 is an interactive public installation that helps people see the hidden environmental costs of AI. Visitors type a prompt at a kiosk and get a printed receipt showing the estimated water, energy, and carbon used for that one AI interaction. A live map connects the prompt to a real data center in the Midwest and shows the community around it. This builds on the team’s initial installation, which focused on displaying impact and generating conversation on the effects of data centers.
- Team Members: Arushi Malhotra (MS in Computer Science - 2027), Sameed Iqbal (MS in Information Systems - 2027), Seeza Wasim (BS in Industrial Design - 2028), Yoonyoung Kim (MS in Human Computer Interaction - 2027)
- Mentor: Brianne Caplan (Founder and Executive Director of Code Your Dreams)
Filter Kings
Filter Kings is a serious game designed to teach adolescent players the importance of water quality and how oysters play an important role in maintaining a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Play as an oyster filtering pollutants from the water while discovering how cleaner water supports biodiversity, healthy soil, and the larger ecosystems surrounding our water-bound cities. The goal is to inspire environmental awareness while reinforcing a simple message: meaningful change comes not from one enormous action, but from many small actions working together.
- Team Members: Jose Feliciano (MFA Game Design - 2027), Joshua Pickman (MFA Game Design - 2027), Ivy Wang (MS in Human Computer Interaction - 2026), Yamini Ganesan (MA Animation - 2026)
- Mentor: Jes Klass (Director of DePaul Instructional Game & Innovation (DIGI) Lab, Professional Lecturer, DePaul School of Design)
Peggy Notebaert Interactive Prairie Exhibit
The Interactive Prairie Experience is a museum exhibit at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum designed for visitors to learn how rain, plant diversity and intermittent burns affect our native ecosystems. Visitors can interact with a touch screen located in the Sustainability Center and watch as the environment changes on the 8 foot diameter globe that is suspended in the air. The project utilizes handmade art techniques such as colour pencil, watercolors and gouache in combination with digitally created 3D assets to create a storybook atmosphere that both children and adults can enjoy. The goal of the project is to show the resilience of our natural environments as well as the beauty of the natural landscapes of Illinois.
- Team Members: Pradyumna Tallapragada (MFA Game Design - 2027), Alexej Hrajnoha (MFA Game Design - 2027), Kel Luxton (BFA Animation - 2027)
- Mentor: LeAnne Wagner (Director of PUSH Studio and the SPARK Center, Professional Lecturer, DePaul School of Design)
Robot Interrupted
Robot Interrupted is an interactive street art installation designed to encourage passersby to engage with a robot drawing chalk art on the street. The robot will be part of the Loop Arts Fest, a one-day festival organized by the Chicago Loop Art Alliance on October 17, and will have a touch screen interface for users to participate in the artmaking process. Attendees are encouraged to draw along with the robot, reminding people that art is a collective process and takes many forms. This project blends UX design, robotics, and visual design to build community engagement by bringing robotics to a public setting.
- Team Members: Muzammil Shaik (MS Artificial Intelligence - 2026), Thendral Prabu (MS Human Computer Interaction - 2027), Helly Patel (BS User Interaction MS Human Computer Interaction - 2027)
- Mentor: LeAnne Wagner (Director of PUSH Studio and the SPARK Center, Professional Lecturer, DePaul School of Design), Umer Huzaifa PhD (Director of Robotics and Assisted Locomotion (RAL) Lab, Assistant Professor, DePaul School of Computing)
Virtual Chicago City Model
Virtual Chicago City Model project presents a proof-of-concept VR experience that reimagines the Chicago Architecture Center’s city model as an interactive virtual environment. Built in Unreal Engine, the experience allows users to explore Chicago from different heights and perspectives, view detailed models of landmarks such as Willis (Sears) Tower and Marina City Tower, and access information through interactive UI and voice-over. The project demonstrates how CAC’s physical city model could be expanded into an immersive and educational VR experience for future visitors.
- Team Members: Arjun Muthumani (MS Human Computer Interaction - 2027), Sara Bayat Hashemi (PhD HCD - 2029), Farbod Hadi Ghanavat (PhD Human Centered Design - 2030)
- Mentor: Nitlin Hemmady (Associate Director of Operations at Chicago Architecture Center)
Event venue & nearby stays
DePaul University - Jarvis Student Center for Innovation and Collaboration, 1 East Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, United States
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