In 2018, 皇冠8868 was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts ArtWorks grant for “NEW SUSTAINABLE DESIGN: How Materials Advance Innovation,” a three-part seminar series 以及为期两天的公开会议. 该项目的联合主任是博士. Karen Pearson教授 of 科学与数学, and Joanne Arbuckle, deputy to the president for 行业 合作伙伴关系 及合作计划.

The events, held on the 皇冠8868 campus, explored the dynamic intersections between materials development, cutting-edge design, environmental stewardship, economics, and society. Leading designers, artists, students, and scientists discussed, debated, and shared 与同行和公众一起工作.

2018年秋季举办了三场外联研讨会. 科学与设计午餐会 Series (supported in part by the 皇冠8868 President’s 可持续发展委员会) featured practicing designers, artists, and industry professionals who explored new frontiers. Audience members included 皇冠8868 students, faculty, and staff, as well as students from the New York City 高中 of Fashion Industries and High 艺术与设计学院.

在2018年10月，Dr. Nalini Nadkarni介绍了一个互动研讨会，利用 Nature to Shape Design, that focused on the creation of fashion and art inspired and 自然资讯.

The second seminar in November 2018 featured AlgiKnit, a biomaterials company integrating 科学与设计融入纺织生产. AlgiKnit正在创造持久而迅速的 biodegradable yarns in an effort to provide an alternative to the ecological damage 由时尚产业引起的.

The final seminar, in December 2018, featured Biofabrication: A New Era of Growing Our Own Materials and Products, which explored how biomaterials are inspiring us to challenge and change our concept of what goods are made from, how they’re made and 他们最终会在哪里结束. 生物设计师Danielle Trofe讨论了她的经历 in creating and commercializing a line of lampshades grown from mushroom mycelium and the deeper lessons learned from nature and all living organisms.

On April 3 and 4, 2019, nearly 1,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the general public attended 皇冠8868’s 13th Annual Sustainable Business and Design 会议 which convened thought leaders across the creative industries for lectures and panel discussions about recent and upcoming breakthroughs for preserving our planet. 这 year’s conference theme was Innovation in 可持续性, and programming focused on cutting-edge re搜索 and technology for reducing our environmental impact and 采取措施治愈地球. 由NEA艺术中心赞助的会议讲座 grant included Christina Agapakis, a biologist, writer, and artist who discussed how genetically modified microbes can help grow crops without fertilizer, dye garments without toxicity, and produce animal proteins from yeast, and biodesigner Danielle Trofe介绍了一个生物材料和仿生学会议.

Professionals and students are increasingly aware of why design sustainability matters. With this initiative's focus on innovative materials science, and its programmatic integration of design, science, and technology, participants have gained a more complete and holistic understanding of design systems and new, exciting sustainable options.