Finding solutions to issues such as reversing the damage mankind has done to the planet is going to take creativity and collaboration. That’s why JSU art students joined with their peers in applied engineering and biology to participate in the 2020 Biodesign Challenge. Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the prestigious BioDesign Challenge invited JSU as one of only 46 high schools and universities from across the globe and the only university in the Southeastern US chosen to participate in the international competition. 

“It’s putting our name out there internationally,” said Allison McElroy, professor of painting and drawing. “This is the future, and by giving our students this opportunity, JSU is leading the way.” 

McElroy teamed up with Dr. Jimmy Triplett, assistant professor of biology, and Teje Sult, instructor of applied engineering, to teach the undergraduate course “Biodesign-Challenge” in the spring and summer semesters last year. Students enrolled in the class were split into teams and tasked with identifying a societal problem and designing its creative solution. 

“We had artists creating, scientists editing genes, and engineers making it all come together,” McElroy said. 

 The student-led teams created three concepts for the competition: 

1. The Atlas Project: Aimed at clearing the skies of smog and pollution, this project used balloons to filter the air and collect space debris. Group members included Matthew Hillgartner and McKenna Mitchell.
2. The Ocean’s Plastic Eating Robot (TOPER): This animal-like robot would work to remove the 10 billion pounds of trash from the Earth’s oceans. Group members included Gabrielle Armstrong, Kate Dempsey, Jamal James, Emma Lindsey, Ruby Thamert and Reagan Tidmore. 
3. Vital Skin: To combat the rising cost of health care, this skin implant would provide at-home diagnostics, diagnoses and treatments to patients with limited access to health care providers. Team members included Avery Lowe, Abigail Read, Kyra Watral, Will Milner, Thomas Galbreath and Amanda Pinckard. 

After the class projects were completed by the students and edited and packaged by MFA graduate assistant Carol Record, they were sent to expert consultant Will Walker, an interactive designer at Google in San Francisco, for assessment. Walker selected Vital Skin as the winning concept to compete in the global competition on June 15-19.

Originally, the winning team was scheduled to travel to New York City to present their final designs at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) but, due to COVID-19, the competition took place entirely online this summer. The JSU team presented their solution on June 16. Participating in this competition provided JSU students with unique networking opportunities and an impressive credential for their resumes.

“This process gives the artist a new voice,” McElroy said. “We’re not just making pretty pictures, but discussing how we can help make things better in the future.” 

Students interested in BioDesign might begin with ART 130: Creative Thinking; the BioDesign course should be available again Spring 2022.