Graduate Student Governance
With the goal of strengthening the culture of service and governance among the graduate students in the lab, the Design Lab Impact and Student Culture Organization (DISCO) oversees many service-based initiatives, ranging from quarterly happy hours to peer mentorship programs. DISCO initiatives are all led by motivated graduate students who value cultivating a healthy and multi-faceted student culture. DISCO also connects the director’s office to the graduate students and provides a platform for contributing to the governance of the Design Lab on activities such as faculty hiring, budgeting, and external partnerships.
DISCO Leads
If you are interested in attending, getting involved, or need more information, contact the DISCO Leads at dlab-disco@ucsd.edu.
Matin Yarmand
Hui Xin Ng
DISCO Co-Founders
- Sangho Suh
- Jane E
DISCO Chats
Graduate students from different research groups of the Design Lab gather every two weeks to explore all things culture, governance, and service. From proposing new service-based initiatives, to getting preliminary feedback from peers, to evaluating budget and implementation logistics, DISCO Chats are a space for insightful and expansive discussions. DISCO leads also use this opportunity to inform graduate students of the latest governance decisions in the Design Lab and, and later communicate students’ impressions and sentiments back to the director’s office.
Mentorship program
Design Lab members develop their skills as researchers, instructors, and leaders regardless of their area of expertise or future career aspirations. The program facilitates relationships between Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars or early career researchers, providing valuable support as members of the Design Lab develop their trajectories as researchers. Mentor-mentee pairs are encouraged to be receptive and eager to learn from one another, fostering a relationship grounded in mutual trust and open communication.
Reading group
Every two weeks, DISCO holds reading groups crafted to spark new discussions, share interdisciplinary perspectives, and gain inside knowledge. We aim to read papers with broad applications in design and human-computer interaction (HCI). Meetings begin with an informal presentation of the material led by the person who selected the week’s paper. Members are encouraged to read the paper beforehand.
Coffee Roulette
Coffee Roulette provides an opportunity to meet new people and build connections within the lab. This program brings together students, post doctoral researchers and faculty members for a cup of coffee. Each participant is matched with two others on a bi-monthly basis. With each coffee rendezvous, we aim to foster a stronger sense of community and belonging.
Design Thinking Workshop Facilitation
The lab hosts design thinking workshops for high school students and other groups in the community. This immersive workshop delves into the fascinating world of Design Thinking and its dynamic applications across various fields. Design Thinking is a problem-solving approach that empowers individuals to think critically, empathetically, and creatively. By participating in this initiative, DISCO members have the opportunity to inspire and empower the next generation of creative thinkers. Additionally, members connect with fellow professionals and educators, fostering a collaborative environment that fuels innovation.
Art-Making Workshop
With a focus on art and geography, the Art-Making Workshop aims to creatively capture a space and generate a venue for discovery, awareness, and action toward environmental stewardship and justice. The workshop provides a step-by-step demonstration, helping participants to make their own prints. While all necessary materials are provided, participants are encouraged to spend some time outdoors, collect items such as leaves, flowers, rocks, grass, and bring them to the workshop.
DISCO Olympics
DISCO hosts a one-day Olympic event every year, involving students, faculty, staff, and the director’s office. Teams compete in a series of events, such as the three-legged race, task triathlon, and bocce ball. The winning team will claim the DISCO Olympics trophy—and earn invaluable bragging rights!
DISCO Hour
DISCO celebrates the start of a new quarter by inviting students, faculty and staff to a happy hour with plenty of food and drink options. These festive events happen on the patio of the second floor of the Design and Innovation Building, usually coinciding with live music from the Epstein amphitheater! Ages 21+.