Increasing Innovation

Innovation is central to our work at the studio, and with all that’s happened over the past week or so, we think it truly shines through our amazing members and their work. Through Random Hacks of Kindness, we’re hosting NIU’s technologically talented to help out the Huskie Closet, and our Northern Exposure series has reached more students and staff than ever before! If you’re interested in checking out the studio and seeing innovation in practice, come on by! We hope to see you soon!

Random Hacks of Kindness

Random Hacks of Kindness (RHoK) is here! We’re thrilled to present one of the studio’s signature projects, designed for NIU students with an interest in coding and tech. This year, RHoK focuses on the Huskie Closet, a non-profit that provides free clothing to students in need. Spearheaded by Julie Ann O’Connell, the Closet takes in, cleans, sorts, and gives away hundreds of items each month. Like any organization, it faces its own unique challenges. The Closet needs help managing its inventory more efficiently, engaging volunteers, lowering barriers to entry, and increasing donations.

Students who participate in RHoK will use their talent to scope out the problem, brainstorm ideas, create prototypes, and finally, present them to a panel of judges, where their projects will be recognized and implemented according to the Closet’s evaluation.

Event Structure:

• ​Day 1: Problem scoping and idea generation in a dynamic expo-style session where teams will pitch their ideas.

• ​Between Days: Teams will visit the Huskie Closet, gain firsthand experience, and refine their ideas.

• ​Day 2: Teams will finalize their prototypes and present them to a panel of judges and have a chance at implementation and recognition!

Northern Exposure

Our second Northern Exposure guest speaker, Keith Wakeman, CEO of SuperBetter, presented his modus operandi last Friday to a crowd of 25 people, upending our capacity for the second week in a row! He explained how the SuperBetter Mindset encourages us to approach life's challenges as if we were playing a game, casting ourselves as the hero of our own story and focusing on the small steps we can take to move forward. The framework builds resilience by helping us set meaningful goals, complete manageable "quests," confront obstacles, use activities that make us feel stronger and healthier, and lean on supportive people. It also shows how changing the way we frame an experience, such as viewing nervousness as excitement rather than anxiety, can shape how we respond to challenges.

Ultimately, resilience is something we can build by recognizing the strengths and strategies that have helped us overcome difficulties in the past and applying them to navigate change, uncertainty, and whatever comes next. SuperBetter is partnered with NIU and the 71 North Partnership Studio.

Northern Exposure is a fantastic way to learn about what our faculty is up to, and it’s easy to understand - as if you’re speaking with a friend. If you’re interested in attending, please register for these events by clicking on the photos in this section.

71 North Calendar

Looking Ahead:

Our upcoming Northern Exposure event features Sofia Ellen Mattson, who will speak on her master’s thesis. Mattson earned her M.S. in Human-Environment Relations at Cornell University in the Department of Human Centered Design after a B.S. Honors with Distinction in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. With a range of research and technical experience across affective and cognitive neuroscience as well as spatial and virtual design, she specializes in emerging technology design and adaptation for healthcare contexts.

She values evidence-based decision making, critical approaches to data and design, holistic wellness, and the range and depth of the human experience. Her master's thesis, Localizing Virtual Nature: Regional Familiarity and the Restorative Effects of VR Nature, explores how virtual reality nature can be best designed for stress reduction, and whether a patient's existing relationship to nature and place attachment may impact these treatments.

To learn more about virtual reality nature environments as a tool for relieving stress in hospitalized patients, please consider attending Sofia's Northern Exposure talk on October 9th!

Looking Back:

Over two years ago today, Tech Tacos made its debut onto the NIU stage. Can you believe it’s already been two years? Well, as they say, time flies when you’re having fun.

Since this article is from the very beginning of our blog, it’s not exactly up to our “at least one paragraph per article” standards today, but it’s still fun to look back at and smile upon. Funnily enough, our most recent Tech Tacos event had a similarly packed house!

71 North Partnership Studio