MDes Open Project: Apparatus for Hacking Perception

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing our world today with a lot of indisputable evidence about it. Yet, many people continue to be resistant to engaging with the issue or taking action to address it. This OP will explore different forms of multi-sensory and experiential tools and narratives in shaping and hacking public perception and collective opinions of different aspects of climate change.             
 
The OP will start by unpacking the causes of why the human brain may be resistant to care about such complex and seemingly distant and unrelatable topics. Part of the discussions will be on understanding and exploring cognitive biases and how they can be used favorably to comprehend and care about complex issues.   
 
Part of the class time will be dedicated to looking at different multisensory experiential narratives that engage the audience's senses to convey a complex idea. Also, we will look at successful case studies in various mediums such as video, sound, and spatial interactivity, as well as physical installations that include smell, touch, and taste will be explored. The goal will be developing projects with hybrid forms that reframe our understanding of complex topics and offer more relatable and meaningful ways of connecting and hacking public perception surrounding climate change.    
 
Each student will own a different part of the collective effort, these could be technical and can focus on aspects of visualization, simulation, or design and issue-focused that can range from narrative techniques borrowing from cognitive science to deep diving into aspects of climate change.
 
Everyone is encouraged to contribute to the project in the modality and the capacity of their choice. Depending on the individual projects, the final OP may become one or more installations comprised of a combination of analytic and expressive elements which may take a form of a public exhibition.   
 
This OP is open to all MDes second-year students but particularly encouraged for students interested in experimenting and developing new techniques and technologies for visual and spatial storytelling, environmental and climate change issues, spatial interactivity, cognitive sciences, and the role of narrative and technology in changing public perception.