OCTOBER 25TH, 2025
OCTOBER 25TH, 2025
What is Soul ?
Where there is Soul, there is life. Found in our hands, our creations, and the nature we embrace, the soul is made of mind, will, emotions, and desire. It can be lost or restored, yet humans naturally seek it. The heart is often seen as its seat, beating through music, art, ritual, food, and community—pathways that connect and renew us.
In an age where the world feels drained of soul, how can we as creatives, makers, and designers embody it in the work we do?
Soul is multifaceted and all-encompassing, as is design. We attempt to capture, enhance, and reflect upon our human experience. Whether material or ethereal, literal or literary, the origins, processes, and destinations of design are all inseparably bound in the individual and collective souls of its users, creators, and the world we share. It is a fundamental mechanism by which humankind draws upon itself—
—To mend and extend
To emanate or recreate
To enlighten And perhaps awaken
The soul of a better world by design.
What is Soul ?
Where there is Soul, there is life. Found in our hands, our creations, and the nature we embrace, the soul is made of mind, will, emotions, and desire. It can be lost or restored, yet humans naturally seek it. The heart is often seen as its seat, beating through music, art, ritual, food, and community—pathways that connect and renew us.
In an age where the world feels drained of soul, how can we as creatives, makers, and designers embody it in the work we do?
Soul is multifaceted and all-encompassing, as is design. We attempt to capture, enhance, and reflect upon our human experience. Whether material or ethereal, literal or literary, the origins, processes, and destinations of design are all inseparably bound in the individual and collective souls of its users, creators, and the world we share. It is a fundamental mechanism by which humankind draws upon itself—
—To mend and extend
To emanate or recreate
To enlighten And perhaps awaken
The soul of a better world by design.
What is Soul ?
Where there is Soul, there is life. Found in our hands, our creations, and the nature we embrace, the soul is made of mind, will, emotions, and desire. It can be lost or restored, yet humans naturally seek it. The heart is often seen as its seat, beating through music, art, ritual, food, and community—pathways that connect and renew us.
In an age where the world feels drained of soul, how can we as creatives, makers, and designers embody it in the work we do?
Soul is multifaceted and all-encompassing, as is design. We attempt to capture, enhance, and reflect upon our human experience. Whether material or ethereal, literal or literary, the origins, processes, and destinations of design are all inseparably bound in the individual and collective souls of its users, creators, and the world we share. It is a fundamental mechanism by which humankind draws upon itself—
—To mend and extend
To emanate or recreate
To enlighten And perhaps awaken
The soul of a better world by design.
OCTOBER 25TH, 2025
2025 Conference Schedule
8:30 - 9:00 AM
BREAKFAST & CHECK IN
List Lobby (Brown)
64 College St.
9:00 - 10:00 AM
OPENING KEYNOTE
ASHLEIGH AXIOS
Founder & CEO, Public Servants Trustee, RISD
List Auditorium (Brown)
64 College St.
10:00 - 10:15 AM
BREAK
10:15 - 11:15 AM
NOOR J AMIN
Game designer and neuroscientist exploring the connection between cognitive states and gameplay
Rhode Island Hall, First Floor (Brown)
Brown Main Green
11:15 - 11:30 AM
BREAK
11:30 - 12:30 PM
ALEX MCDOWELL
Storyteller working at the intersection of emergent technologies and narrative media.
Rhode Island Hall, First Floor (Brown)
Brown Main Green
12:30 - 1:30 PM
LUNCH
The Gate, Basement of Alumnae Hall
1:45 - 2:45 PM
RUDY FRASER
Technologist, community organizer, and founder of Blacksky Algorithms
BIOPOD CO (Talk)
With Manini Banerjee & Avantika Velho
Rhode Island Hall, First Floor (Brown)
Brown Main Green
IBES Room 015 (Brown)
85 Waterman St.
2:45 - 3:00 PM
BREAK
3:00 - 4:00 PM
KEEMOON JANG
Postdoctoral researcher at MIT Senseable City Lab and an incoming assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
BIOPOD CO(Workshop)
With Manini Banerjee & Avantika Velho
Rhode Island Hall (Brown)
Brown Main Green
IBES Room 015 (Brown)
85 Waterman St.
2025 Conference Schedule
2025 Conference Schedule
8:30 - 9:00 AM
8:30 - 9:00 AM
BREAKFAST & CHECK IN
BREAKFAST & CHECK IN
List Lobby (Brown)
64 College St.
List Lobby (Brown)
64 College St.
9:00 - 10:00 AM
OPENING KEYNOTE
9:00 - 10:00 AM
OPENING KEYNOTE
9:00 - 10:00 AM
OPENING KEYNOTE
ASHLEIGH AXIOS
Founder & CEO, Public Servants Trustee, RISD
ASHLEIGH AXIOS
Founder & CEO, Public Servants Trustee, RISD
List Auditorium (Brown)
64 College St.
List Auditorium (Brown)
64 College St.
10:00 - 10:15 AM
10:00 - 10:15 AM
BREAK
BREAK
10:15 - 11:15 AM
10:15 - 11:15 AM
NOOR J AMIN
NOOR J AMIN
Game designer and neuroscientist exploring the connection between cognitive states and gameplay
Game designer and neuroscientist exploring the connection between cognitive states and gameplay
Game designer and neuroscientist exploring the connection between cognitive states and gameplay
Rhode Island Hall, First Floor (Brown)
Brown Main Green
Rhode Island Hall,
First Floor (Brown)
Brown Main Green
Rhode Island Hall, First Floor (Brown)
Brown Main Green
11:15 - 11:30 AM
11:15 - 11:30 AM
BREAK
BREAK
11:30 - 12:30 PM
11:30 - 12:30 PM
ALEX MCDOWELL
ALEX MCDOWELL
Storyteller working at the intersection of emergent technologies and narrative media.
Storyteller working at the intersection of emergent technologies and narrative media.
Rhode Island Hall, First Floor (Brown)
Brown Main Green
Rhode Island Hall, First Floor (Brown)
Brown Main Green
12:30 - 1:30 PM
12:30 - 1:30 PM
LUNCH
LUNCH
The Gate, Basement of Alumnae Hall
The Gate, Basement of Alumnae Hall
1:45 - 2:45 PM
1:45 - 2:45 PM
RUDY FRASER
RUDY FRASER
Technologist, community organizer, and founder of Blacksky Algorithms
Technologist, community organizer, and founder of Blacksky Algorithms
BIOPOD CO (Talk)
BIOPOD CO (Talk)
With Manini Banerjee & Avantika Velho
With Manini Banerjee & Avantika Velho
Rhode Island Hall, First Floor (Brown)
Brown Main Green
Rhode Island Hall, First Floor (Brown)
Rhode Island Hall, First Floor (Brown)
Brown Main Green
IBES Room 015 (Brown)
85 Waterman St.
IBES Room 015 (Brown)
85 Waterman St.
2:45 - 3:00 PM
2:45 - 3:00 PM
BREAK
BREAK
3:00 - 4:00 PM
3:00 - 4:00 PM
KEEMOON JANG
KEEMOON JANG
Postdoctoral researcher at MIT Senseable City Lab and an incoming assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Postdoctoral researcher at MIT Senseable City Lab and an incoming assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
BIOPOD CO(Workshop)
BIOPOD CO(Workshop)
With Manini Banerjee & Avantika Velho
With Manini Banerjee & Avantika Velho
Rhode Island Hall (Brown)
Brown Main Green
Rhode Island Hall (Brown)
Brown Main Green
IBES Room 015 (Brown)
85 Waterman St.
Our Speakers
Our Speakers
Ashleigh Axios
Ashleigh Axios
Ashleigh Axios is the founder and CEO of Public Servants LLC, a civic innovation consultancy co-creating systems that strengthen public institutions and community well-being. She previously served as Creative Director in the Obama White House, was an executive at Coforma, and led brand and marketing at Automattic. Axios is a trustee on the board of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), her alma mater, and a past national Board Chair for AIGA, where she also launched DotGov Design to empower government designers. Her work has been recognized by Essence, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and DCFemTech, among others. A sought-after speaker and advocate for civic design, Axios lives and works in the Washington, D.C. area.
Ashleigh Axios is the founder and CEO of Public Servants LLC, a civic innovation consultancy co-creating systems that strengthen public institutions and community well-being. She previously served as Creative Director in the Obama White House, was an executive at Coforma, and led brand and marketing at Automattic. Axios is a trustee on the board of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), her alma mater, and a past national Board Chair for AIGA, where she also launched DotGov Design to empower government designers. Her work has been recognized by Essence, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and DCFemTech, among others. A sought-after speaker and advocate for civic design, Axios lives and works in the Washington, D.C. area.
Ashleigh Axios is the founder and CEO of Public Servants LLC, a civic innovation consultancy co-creating systems that strengthen public institutions and community well-being. She previously served as Creative Director in the Obama White House, was an executive at Coforma, and led brand and marketing at Automattic. Axios is a trustee on the board of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), her alma mater, and a past national Board Chair for AIGA, where she also launched DotGov Design to empower government designers. Her work has been recognized by Essence, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and DCFemTech, among others. A sought-after speaker and advocate for civic design, Axios lives and works in the Washington, D.C. area.
Ashleigh Axios is the founder and CEO of Public Servants LLC, a civic innovation consultancy co-creating systems that strengthen public institutions and community well-being. She previously served as Creative Director in the Obama White House, was an executive at Coforma, and led brand and marketing at Automattic. Axios is a trustee on the board of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), her alma mater, and a past national Board Chair for AIGA, where she also launched DotGov Design to empower government designers. Her work has been recognized by Essence, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and DCFemTech, among others. A sought-after speaker and advocate for civic design, Axios lives and works in the Washington, D.C. area.
Ashleigh Axios is the founder and CEO of Public Servants LLC, a civic innovation consultancy co-creating systems that strengthen public institutions and community well-being. She previously served as Creative Director in the Obama White House, was an executive at Coforma, and led brand and marketing at Automattic. Axios is a trustee on the board of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), her alma mater, and a past national Board Chair for AIGA, where she also launched DotGov Design to empower government designers. Her work has been recognized by Essence, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and DCFemTech, among others. A sought-after speaker and advocate for civic design, Axios lives and works in the Washington, D.C. area.
Avantika Velho
Avantika Velho
Avantika Velho is the Co-founder of BIOPOD Co. She is an Indian Biodesigner, Researcher, and Strategic Futurist based in Boston. At the intersection of living systems, hybrid technologies, and critical design, she redefines our material infrastructures as vibrant socio-ecologies.
Currently pursuing her Master’s in Design Engineering at Harvard, she previously worked at Northeastern University’s BioInteractive Design Lab and Terreform ONE in Brooklyn. Her work spans biomaterials, biosensing textiles, regenerative systems, and living architecture. A RISD alumna, Avantika has received recognition from the Terra Carta Design Lab and Hyundai Fellowship, with features in Dezeen, Fast Company, and Designboom.
Avantika Velho is the Co-founder of BIOPOD Co. She is an Indian Biodesigner, Researcher, and Strategic Futurist based in Boston. At the intersection of living systems, hybrid technologies, and critical design, she redefines our material infrastructures as vibrant socio-ecologies.
Currently pursuing her Master’s in Design Engineering at Harvard, she previously worked at Northeastern University’s BioInteractive Design Lab and Terreform ONE in Brooklyn. Her work spans biomaterials, biosensing textiles, regenerative systems, and living architecture. A RISD alumna, Avantika has received recognition from the Terra Carta Design Lab and Hyundai Fellowship, with features in Dezeen, Fast Company, and Designboom.
Avantika Velho is the Co-founder of BIOPOD Co. She is an Indian Biodesigner, Researcher, and Strategic Futurist based in Boston. At the intersection of living systems, hybrid technologies, and critical design, she redefines our material infrastructures as vibrant socio-ecologies.
Currently pursuing her Master’s in Design Engineering at Harvard, she previously worked at Northeastern University’s BioInteractive Design Lab and Terreform ONE in Brooklyn. Her work spans biomaterials, biosensing textiles, regenerative systems, and living architecture. A RISD alumna, Avantika has received recognition from the Terra Carta Design Lab and Hyundai Fellowship, with features in Dezeen, Fast Company, and Designboom.
Avantika Velho is the Co-founder of BIOPOD Co. She is an Indian Biodesigner, Researcher, and Strategic Futurist based in Boston. At the intersection of living systems, hybrid technologies, and critical design, she redefines our material infrastructures as vibrant socio-ecologies.
Currently pursuing her Master’s in Design Engineering at Harvard, she previously worked at Northeastern University’s BioInteractive Design Lab and Terreform ONE in Brooklyn. Her work spans biomaterials, biosensing textiles, regenerative systems, and living architecture. A RISD alumna, Avantika has received recognition from the Terra Carta Design Lab and Hyundai Fellowship, with features in Dezeen, Fast Company, and Designboom.
Avantika Velho is the Co-founder of BIOPOD Co. She is an Indian Biodesigner, Researcher, and Strategic Futurist based in Boston. At the intersection of living systems, hybrid technologies, and critical design, she redefines our material infrastructures as vibrant socio-ecologies.
Currently pursuing her Master’s in Design Engineering at Harvard, she previously worked at Northeastern University’s BioInteractive Design Lab and Terreform ONE in Brooklyn. Her work spans biomaterials, biosensing textiles, regenerative systems, and living architecture. A RISD alumna, Avantika has received recognition from the Terra Carta Design Lab and Hyundai Fellowship, with features in Dezeen, Fast Company, and Designboom.
Manini Banerjee
Manini Banerjee
Manini Banerjee (She/Her) is an Indian-Singaporean Biodesigner and interdisciplinary researcher based in Boston, MA. As a co-founder of BIOPOD Co., Manini bridges disciplines and knowledge paradigms, acting as a translator across scales from microorganisms to urban ecologies.
Manini holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she specialized in human-and nature-centric industrial design with concentrations in computation and sustainability. She is currently building on her passions for regenerative accessible technologies at Harvard University through a master's in Design Engineering. Her professional journey spans academic and corporate research settings, including Tufts University, MIT Media Lab, Brown University, RISD, and Hyundai Motor Group. Her work has been featured in publications like TEDx, Dezeen, Design Milk, and Popular Science.
Manini Banerjee (She/Her) is an Indian-Singaporean Biodesigner and interdisciplinary researcher based in Boston, MA. As a co-founder of BIOPOD Co., Manini bridges disciplines and knowledge paradigms, acting as a translator across scales from microorganisms to urban ecologies.
Manini holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she specialized in human-and nature-centric industrial design with concentrations in computation and sustainability. She is currently building on her passions for regenerative accessible technologies at Harvard University through a master's in Design Engineering. Her professional journey spans academic and corporate research settings, including Tufts University, MIT Media Lab, Brown University, RISD, and Hyundai Motor Group. Her work has been featured in publications like TEDx, Dezeen, Design Milk, and Popular Science.
Manini Banerjee (She/Her) is an Indian-Singaporean Biodesigner and interdisciplinary researcher based in Boston, MA. As a co-founder of BIOPOD Co., Manini bridges disciplines and knowledge paradigms, acting as a translator across scales from microorganisms to urban ecologies.
Manini holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she specialized in human-and nature-centric industrial design with concentrations in computation and sustainability. She is currently building on her passions for regenerative accessible technologies at Harvard University through a master's in Design Engineering. Her professional journey spans academic and corporate research settings, including Tufts University, MIT Media Lab, Brown University, RISD, and Hyundai Motor Group. Her work has been featured in publications like TEDx, Dezeen, Design Milk, and Popular Science.
Manini Banerjee (She/Her) is an Indian-Singaporean Biodesigner and interdisciplinary researcher based in Boston, MA. As a co-founder of BIOPOD Co., Manini bridges disciplines and knowledge paradigms, acting as a translator across scales from microorganisms to urban ecologies.
Manini holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she specialized in human-and nature-centric industrial design with concentrations in computation and sustainability. She is currently building on her passions for regenerative accessible technologies at Harvard University through a master's in Design Engineering. Her professional journey spans academic and corporate research settings, including Tufts University, MIT Media Lab, Brown University, RISD, and Hyundai Motor Group. Her work has been featured in publications like TEDx, Dezeen, Design Milk, and Popular Science.
Manini Banerjee (She/Her) is an Indian-Singaporean Biodesigner and interdisciplinary researcher based in Boston, MA. As a co-founder of BIOPOD Co., Manini bridges disciplines and knowledge paradigms, acting as a translator across scales from microorganisms to urban ecologies.
Manini holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she specialized in human-and nature-centric industrial design with concentrations in computation and sustainability. She is currently building on her passions for regenerative accessible technologies at Harvard University through a master's in Design Engineering. Her professional journey spans academic and corporate research settings, including Tufts University, MIT Media Lab, Brown University, RISD, and Hyundai Motor Group. Her work has been featured in publications like TEDx, Dezeen, Design Milk, and Popular Science.
Rudy Fraser
Rudy Fraser
Rudy Fraser is a technologist, community organizer, and founder of Blacksky Algorithms, where he develops open-source infrastructure that lets communities shape their social media experience, govern their data, and fund collective needs. His work on rsky, an independent implementation of the AT Protocol, offers a credible exit path for users and advances community-driven governance across the decentralized web. Previously as a Fellow in the Applied Social Media Lab at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Rudy focused on tools that protect marginalized groups, especially Black users, through context-aware moderation and equitable algorithms. Beyond his technical work, he serves on the board of Pact Collective, supporting equitable finance for grassroots groups, and organizes mutual aid with We The People NYC to deliver food, clothing, and other essentials in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods.
Rudy Fraser is a technologist, community organizer, and founder of Blacksky Algorithms, where he develops open-source infrastructure that lets communities shape their social media experience, govern their data, and fund collective needs. His work on rsky, an independent implementation of the AT Protocol, offers a credible exit path for users and advances community-driven governance across the decentralized web. Previously as a Fellow in the Applied Social Media Lab at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Rudy focused on tools that protect marginalized groups, especially Black users, through context-aware moderation and equitable algorithms. Beyond his technical work, he serves on the board of Pact Collective, supporting equitable finance for grassroots groups, and organizes mutual aid with We The People NYC to deliver food, clothing, and other essentials in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods.
Rudy Fraser is a technologist, community organizer, and founder of Blacksky Algorithms, where he develops open-source infrastructure that lets communities shape their social media experience, govern their data, and fund collective needs. His work on rsky, an independent implementation of the AT Protocol, offers a credible exit path for users and advances community-driven governance across the decentralized web. Previously as a Fellow in the Applied Social Media Lab at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Rudy focused on tools that protect marginalized groups, especially Black users, through context-aware moderation and equitable algorithms. Beyond his technical work, he serves on the board of Pact Collective, supporting equitable finance for grassroots groups, and organizes mutual aid with We The People NYC to deliver food, clothing, and other essentials in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods.
Rudy Fraser is a technologist, community organizer, and founder of Blacksky Algorithms, where he develops open-source infrastructure that lets communities shape their social media experience, govern their data, and fund collective needs. His work on rsky, an independent implementation of the AT Protocol, offers a credible exit path for users and advances community-driven governance across the decentralized web. Previously as a Fellow in the Applied Social Media Lab at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Rudy focused on tools that protect marginalized groups, especially Black users, through context-aware moderation and equitable algorithms. Beyond his technical work, he serves on the board of Pact Collective, supporting equitable finance for grassroots groups, and organizes mutual aid with We The People NYC to deliver food, clothing, and other essentials in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods.
Rudy Fraser is a technologist, community organizer, and founder of Blacksky Algorithms, where he develops open-source infrastructure that lets communities shape their social media experience, govern their data, and fund collective needs. His work on rsky, an independent implementation of the AT Protocol, offers a credible exit path for users and advances community-driven governance across the decentralized web. Previously as a Fellow in the Applied Social Media Lab at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Rudy focused on tools that protect marginalized groups, especially Black users, through context-aware moderation and equitable algorithms. Beyond his technical work, he serves on the board of Pact Collective, supporting equitable finance for grassroots groups, and organizes mutual aid with We The People NYC to deliver food, clothing, and other essentials in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods.
Kee Moon Jang
Kee Moon Jang
Dr. Kee Moon Jang is a postdoctoral researcher at MIT Senseable City Lab and an incoming assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) Thrust of Urban Governance and Design starting in January 2026.
He completed his PhD with focus on urban design and analytics at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 2022. He also holds a B.S. (2016, minor in Business Technology Management) and M.S. (2018) degrees from KAIST. Working at the interface between cities, people, data and design, his research interest is in leveraging data-driven approaches to understand the interaction between urban environment and people, and draw implications for future planning based on quantitative evidence.
Dr. Kee Moon Jang is a postdoctoral researcher at MIT Senseable City Lab and an incoming assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) Thrust of Urban Governance and Design starting in January 2026.
He completed his PhD with focus on urban design and analytics at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 2022. He also holds a B.S. (2016, minor in Business Technology Management) and M.S. (2018) degrees from KAIST. Working at the interface between cities, people, data and design, his research interest is in leveraging data-driven approaches to understand the interaction between urban environment and people, and draw implications for future planning based on quantitative evidence.
Dr. Kee Moon Jang is a postdoctoral researcher at MIT Senseable City Lab and an incoming assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) Thrust of Urban Governance and Design starting in January 2026.
He completed his PhD with focus on urban design and analytics at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 2022. He also holds a B.S. (2016, minor in Business Technology Management) and M.S. (2018) degrees from KAIST. Working at the interface between cities, people, data and design, his research interest is in leveraging data-driven approaches to understand the interaction between urban environment and people, and draw implications for future planning based on quantitative evidence.
Dr. Kee Moon Jang is a postdoctoral researcher at MIT Senseable City Lab and an incoming assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) Thrust of Urban Governance and Design starting in January 2026.
He completed his PhD with focus on urban design and analytics at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 2022. He also holds a B.S. (2016, minor in Business Technology Management) and M.S. (2018) degrees from KAIST. Working at the interface between cities, people, data and design, his research interest is in leveraging data-driven approaches to understand the interaction between urban environment and people, and draw implications for future planning based on quantitative evidence.
Dr. Kee Moon Jang is a postdoctoral researcher at MIT Senseable City Lab and an incoming assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) Thrust of Urban Governance and Design starting in January 2026.
He completed his PhD with focus on urban design and analytics at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 2022. He also holds a B.S. (2016, minor in Business Technology Management) and M.S. (2018) degrees from KAIST. Working at the interface between cities, people, data and design, his research interest is in leveraging data-driven approaches to understand the interaction between urban environment and people, and draw implications for future planning based on quantitative evidence.
Noor J Amin
Noor J Amin
Noor J Amin is a game designer and neuroscientist based in California. She is currently at Riot Games as a game designer II on League of Legends. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a BS and BA degree in neuroscience and game design respectively. She has previously worked on Five Nights at Freddy’s, Battlefield 2042, and EXODUS. as technical and associate game design interns.
Her goal as a scientist and designer is to explore how neuroscience principles can unlock deeper forms of engagement with games. Noor's work incorporates human elements through technological approaches. From using the biology of emotion to inform game mechanics, mapping brain activity to explore the connection between cognitive states and gameplay, and highlighting game creation as a way to question and reinvent realities.
Noor J Amin is a game designer and neuroscientist based in California. She is currently at Riot Games as a game designer II on League of Legends. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a BS and BA degree in neuroscience and game design respectively. She has previously worked on Five Nights at Freddy’s, Battlefield 2042, and EXODUS. as technical and associate game design interns.
Her goal as a scientist and designer is to explore how neuroscience principles can unlock deeper forms of engagement with games. Noor's work incorporates human elements through technological approaches. From using the biology of emotion to inform game mechanics, mapping brain activity to explore the connection between cognitive states and gameplay, and highlighting game creation as a way to question and reinvent realities.
Noor J Amin is a game designer and neuroscientist based in California. She is currently at Riot Games as a game designer II on League of Legends. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a BS and BA degree in neuroscience and game design respectively. She has previously worked on Five Nights at Freddy’s, Battlefield 2042, and EXODUS. as technical and associate game design interns.
Her goal as a scientist and designer is to explore how neuroscience principles can unlock deeper forms of engagement with games. Noor's work incorporates human elements through technological approaches. From using the biology of emotion to inform game mechanics, mapping brain activity to explore the connection between cognitive states and gameplay, and highlighting game creation as a way to question and reinvent realities.
Noor J Amin is a game designer and neuroscientist based in California. She is currently at Riot Games as a game designer II on League of Legends. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a BS and BA degree in neuroscience and game design respectively. She has previously worked on Five Nights at Freddy’s, Battlefield 2042, and EXODUS. as technical and associate game design interns.
Her goal as a scientist and designer is to explore how neuroscience principles can unlock deeper forms of engagement with games. Noor's work incorporates human elements through technological approaches. From using the biology of emotion to inform game mechanics, mapping brain activity to explore the connection between cognitive states and gameplay, and highlighting game creation as a way to question and reinvent realities.
Noor J Amin is a game designer and neuroscientist based in California. She is currently at Riot Games as a game designer II on League of Legends. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a BS and BA degree in neuroscience and game design respectively. She has previously worked on Five Nights at Freddy’s, Battlefield 2042, and EXODUS. as technical and associate game design interns.
Her goal as a scientist and designer is to explore how neuroscience principles can unlock deeper forms of engagement with games. Noor's work incorporates human elements through technological approaches. From using the biology of emotion to inform game mechanics, mapping brain activity to explore the connection between cognitive states and gameplay, and highlighting game creation as a way to question and reinvent realities.
Alex McDowell
Alex McDowell
Alex McDowell is a storyteller and award-winning designer working at the intersection of emergent technologies and narrative media. He is Professor of Practice at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he holds the William Cameron Menzies Endowed Chair in Production Design and directs the World Building Media Lab and Institute. He is also co-founder and creative director at Experimental Design, whose practice is focused on creating immersive future worlds threaded to the present for corporate, media, and social change.
Previously as a production designer, McDowell shaped the visual worlds of Minority Report, Fight Club, Watchmen, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and collaborated on music projects with Madonna, Iggy Pop, and Michael Jackson. A Royal Designer for Industry, his work has been recognized by D&AD, the Interaction Awards, and the Royal Society of Arts.
Alex McDowell is a storyteller and award-winning designer working at the intersection of emergent technologies and narrative media. He is Professor of Practice at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he holds the William Cameron Menzies Endowed Chair in Production Design and directs the World Building Media Lab and Institute. He is also co-founder and creative director at Experimental Design, whose practice is focused on creating immersive future worlds threaded to the present for corporate, media, and social change.
Previously as a production designer, McDowell shaped the visual worlds of Minority Report, Fight Club, Watchmen, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and collaborated on music projects with Madonna, Iggy Pop, and Michael Jackson. A Royal Designer for Industry, his work has been recognized by D&AD, the Interaction Awards, and the Royal Society of Arts.
Alex McDowell is a storyteller and award-winning designer working at the intersection of emergent technologies and narrative media. He is Professor of Practice at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he holds the William Cameron Menzies Endowed Chair in Production Design and directs the World Building Media Lab and Institute. He is also co-founder and creative director at Experimental Design, whose practice is focused on creating immersive future worlds threaded to the present for corporate, media, and social change.
Previously as a production designer, McDowell shaped the visual worlds of Minority Report, Fight Club, Watchmen, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and collaborated on music projects with Madonna, Iggy Pop, and Michael Jackson. A Royal Designer for Industry, his work has been recognized by D&AD, the Interaction Awards, and the Royal Society of Arts.
Alex McDowell is a storyteller and award-winning designer working at the intersection of emergent technologies and narrative media. He is Professor of Practice at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he holds the William Cameron Menzies Endowed Chair in Production Design and directs the World Building Media Lab and Institute. He is also co-founder and creative director at Experimental Design, whose practice is focused on creating immersive future worlds threaded to the present for corporate, media, and social change.
Previously as a production designer, McDowell shaped the visual worlds of Minority Report, Fight Club, Watchmen, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and collaborated on music projects with Madonna, Iggy Pop, and Michael Jackson. A Royal Designer for Industry, his work has been recognized by D&AD, the Interaction Awards, and the Royal Society of Arts.
Alex McDowell is a storyteller and award-winning designer working at the intersection of emergent technologies and narrative media. He is Professor of Practice at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he holds the William Cameron Menzies Endowed Chair in Production Design and directs the World Building Media Lab and Institute. He is also co-founder and creative director at Experimental Design, whose practice is focused on creating immersive future worlds threaded to the present for corporate, media, and social change.
Previously as a production designer, McDowell shaped the visual worlds of Minority Report, Fight Club, Watchmen, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and collaborated on music projects with Madonna, Iggy Pop, and Michael Jackson. A Royal Designer for Industry, his work has been recognized by D&AD, the Interaction Awards, and the Royal Society of Arts.
Sponsors
Sponsors
Sponsors
We'd like to extend a special thank-you to our sponsor, 2×4, a multidisciplinary design studio focused on brand strategy, design, and activation for cultural and commercial partners around the world. Their work connects research, strategy, and storytelling across visual, interactive, and spatial experiences — and their support helps expand the reach and impact of Better World x Design.
We'd like to extend a special thank-you to our sponsor, 2×4, a multidisciplinary design studio focused on brand strategy, design, and activation for cultural and commercial partners around the world. Their work connects research, strategy, and storytelling across visual, interactive, and spatial experiences — and their support helps expand the reach and impact of Better World x Design.
We'd like to extend a special thank-you to our sponsor, 2×4, a multidisciplinary design studio focused on brand strategy, design, and activation for cultural and commercial partners around the world. Their work connects research, strategy, and storytelling across visual, interactive, and spatial experiences — and their support helps expand the reach and impact of Better World x Design.
Our Speakers
Ashleigh Axios
Ashleigh Axios
Ashleigh Axios is the founder and CEO of Public Servants LLC, a civic innovation consultancy co-creating systems that strengthen public institutions and community well-being. She previously served as Creative Director in the Obama White House, was an executive at Coforma, and led brand and marketing at Automattic. Axios is a trustee on the board of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), her alma mater, and a past national Board Chair for AIGA, where she also launched DotGov Design to empower government designers. Her work has been recognized by Essence, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and DCFemTech, among others. A sought-after speaker and advocate for civic design, Axios lives and works in the Washington, D.C. area.
Avantika Velho
Avantika Velho
Avantika Velho is the Co-founder of BIOPOD Co. She is an Indian Biodesigner, Researcher, and Strategic Futurist based in Boston. At the intersection of living systems, hybrid technologies, and critical design, she redefines our material infrastructures as vibrant socio-ecologies.
Currently pursuing her Master’s in Design Engineering at Harvard, she previously worked at Northeastern University’s BioInteractive Design Lab and Terreform ONE in Brooklyn. Her work spans biomaterials, biosensing textiles, regenerative systems, and living architecture. A RISD alumna, Avantika has received recognition from the Terra Carta Design Lab and Hyundai Fellowship, with features in Dezeen, Fast Company, and Designboom.
Manini Banerjee
Manini Banerjee
Manini Banerjee (She/Her) is an Indian-Singaporean Biodesigner and interdisciplinary researcher based in Boston, MA. As a co-founder of BIOPOD Co., Manini bridges disciplines and knowledge paradigms, acting as a translator across scales from microorganisms to urban ecologies.
Manini holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she specialized in human-and nature-centric industrial design with concentrations in computation and sustainability. She is currently building on her passions for regenerative accessible technologies at Harvard University through a master's in Design Engineering.
Her professional journey spans academic and corporate research settings, including Tufts University, MIT Media Lab, Brown University, RISD, and Hyundai Motor Group. Her work has been featured in publications like TEDx, Dezeen, Design Milk, and Popular Science.
Rudy Fraser
Rudy Fraser
Rudy Fraser is a technologist, community organizer, and founder of Blacksky Algorithms, where he develops open-source infrastructure that lets communities shape their social media experience, govern their data, and fund collective needs. His work on rsky, an independent implementation of the AT Protocol, offers a credible exit path for users and advances community-driven governance across the decentralized web. Previously as a Fellow in the Applied Social Media Lab at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Rudy focused on tools that protect marginalized groups, especially Black users, through context-aware moderation and equitable algorithms. Beyond his technical work, he serves on the board of Pact Collective, supporting equitable finance for grassroots groups, and organizes mutual aid with We The People NYC to deliver food, clothing, and other essentials in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods.
Kee Moon Jang
Kee Moon Jang
Dr. Kee Moon Jang is a postdoctoral researcher at MIT Senseable City Lab and an incoming assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) Thrust of Urban Governance and Design starting in January 2026.
He completed his PhD with focus on urban design and analytics at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 2022. He also holds a B.S. (2016, minor in Business Technology Management) and M.S. (2018) degrees from KAIST. Working at the interface between cities, people, data and design, his research interest is in leveraging data-driven approaches to understand the interaction between urban environment and people, and draw implications for future planning based on quantitative evidence.
Noor J Amin
Noor J Amin
Noor J Amin is a game designer and neuroscientist based in California. She is currently at Riot Games as a game designer II on League of Legends. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a BS and BA degree in neuroscience and game design respectively. She has previously worked on Five Nights at Freddy’s, Battlefield 2042, and EXODUS. as technical and associate game design interns.
Her goal as a scientist and designer is to explore how neuroscience principles can unlock deeper forms of engagement with games. Noor's work incorporates human elements through technological approaches. From using the biology of emotion to inform game mechanics, mapping brain activity to explore the connection between cognitive states and gameplay, and highlighting game creation as a way to question and reinvent realities.
Alex McDowell
Alex McDowell
Alex McDowell is a storyteller and award-winning designer working at the intersection of emergent technologies and narrative media. He is Professor of Practice at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he holds the William Cameron Menzies Endowed Chair in Production Design and directs the World Building Media Lab and Institute. He is also co-founder and creative director at Experimental Design, whose practice is focused on creating immersive future worlds threaded to the present for corporate, media, and social change.
Previously as a production designer, McDowell shaped the visual worlds of Minority Report, Fight Club, Watchmen, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and collaborated on music projects with Madonna, Iggy Pop, and Michael Jackson. A Royal Designer for Industry, his work has been recognized by D&AD, the Interaction Awards, and the Royal Society of Arts.