The first semester studio is a project-based proving ground that introduces the essential mindsets, methods, and techniques of the design engineer. Bridging quantitative analysis, computational methodologies, and systemic design, students learn through continuous, iterative making.

Operating at the frontier of the natural and the artificial, the curriculum pushes students beyond their existing disciplinary boundaries. The semester demands a high tolerance for ambiguity as students tackle novel AI systems forensics, synthesize massive global datasets, and engineer robust, field-deployed mechatronics to address complex global challenges.

This studio is limited to first-year students enrolled in the Master in Design Engineering program, a collaborative degree associated with the Harvard GSD and SEAS.