Purpose: Research can be a long, arduous process. It is also a crucial part of the studio process and can help you generate lots of new, creative ideas and solutions. To get as much access to useful information as possible, we'll each take on a small portion of the research and move on to brainstorming!

Prompt: Work in small teams and choose from the following list: solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, biomass, or tidal. 

Each group will have about 20 minutes to research and learn about renewable energy systems. Then, you will answer the questions below and share your knowledge with the rest of the class. This will be a casual share-out of knowledge. This research will be quick and collaborative. As we share, your teacher will try to help you think of how these energy systems could be deployed in the future. 

Instructions:

1. Research your selected energy source. 
   1. Great resource: http://www.landartgenerator.org/LAGI-FieldGuideRenewableEnergy-ed2.pdf
   2. Another great resource (with more resources at the bottom): United Nations: Renewable Energies
   3. There are a few great videos linked in the Resources tab above. 
2. Jot down 5 key takeaways (useful information, things you didn't know before.) There should be 5 takeaways PER PERSON, i.e., if there are 3 people in your group, you should have 15 facts total. 
3. Share your reflections. How does this research inform your ideas about the future of transit and personalized mobility? What are you most excited about for the future of transit? Are there opportunities you think should be explored? 

Batteries made from an electrically conductive mixture the consistency of molasses could help solve a critical piece of the decarbonization puzzle. An interdisciplinary team from MIT has found that an electrochemical technology called a semisolid flow battery can be a cost-competitive form of energy storage and backup for variable renewable energy (VRE) sources such as wind and solar.

https://news.mit.edu/2021/energy-storage-solution-soft-serve-ice-cream-1130

Imagine a day without vehicles. No cars, buses, trucks, rideshares.

It's almost impossible to imagine, right? Transportation is an integral part of our everyday lives. The average American drives more than 15,000 miles and spends 54 hours stuck in traffic every year. Ouch.

Today, transportation makes up nearly 30% of our energy use in the United States and most of our oil consumption.

We're thinking differently about how to travel in a sustainable way. Introducing the latest in mobility innovation!

https://www.nrel.gov/news/video/transportation-energy-basics-text.html

At the occasion of #COP26, the UIC presents this Vision 2030, painting the picture of how, given the right action and investment, we can design a better future where rail is the backbone of a sustainable mobility system. 

This inspiring vision, created by UIC Global Rail Sustainability Taskforce, describes a future where we are on track to decarbonise transport and a thriving railway has unleashed many benefits for society. The vision includes a call for action to help design this better future.

https://www.alstom.com/

Related links

1. https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/new-age-of-sail-looks-to-slash-massive-maritime-carbon-emissions/
   
2. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/wind-power-profile/
3. http://www.sciencealert.com/the-netherlands-aims-to-have-a-completely-wind-powered-railway-system-by-2018
4. http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/europe/dutch-trains-to-be-wind-powered-from-2018.html
5. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/wind-power-profile/

How wind turbines work (info-graphic): https://www.saveonenergy.com/how-wind-turbines-work/

What will vehicles look like in the far future? What will the systems that support these vehicles look like? Will transportation continue to be more and more efficient? What if future transportation systems could also be delightful, fun, or helpful to society in new and surprising ways? These are the questions students will explore in the Transitopia Studio by NuVu. 

In this studio, students will be constructing sci-fi and futuristic vehicles of their imagination while learning about renewable energy systems such as solar, hydro, and wind power. They will imagine the systems and infrastructure that will change the way vehicles move, how they are designed, and who they will transport, and then design new modes of transportation based on their imaginations.

Students will experience the hands-on joy of iterative physical prototyping and explore how motors, batteries, engines, radio signals, types of chassis, and wheels can help them achieve moveable speculative transportation devices. They'll push their vehicles to the creative limit with innovative and unusual designs! Then, it’s off to the final exhibition, where students will demonstrate their prototypes and share their vision of the future of transportation with the audience. 

Prompt: 

As a studio, we will take a look at some of the most interesting transit systems around the world. Then, in groups, you will select a transit system of your choosing to provide an in-depth analysis of your findings to the rest of the class. You may choose an example from the presentation above or select one of your choosing. 

What does it means for something to be "in transit"? Can it be more than simply getting from point A to point B in our day-to-day life?

Instructions: 

In teams, you will create a slideshow that contains the following information about your transit system:

• Where is it located? Is this method used elsewhere in the world?
• How does the transit system relate to the area and its unique setting/environment? (write 2-3 sentences)
• What is awesome v. awful about this transit system? (come up with 3 for each)
• What are potential ways that this transit system can be improved? (Be imaginative!)

Deliverables:

Post a response in the Responses tab (above)with the following requirements:

1. Images of the transit system you've researched (include captions describing the images)
2. Answers to the 4 questions above in the text field
3. One sketch from each person in your group proposing ways this system could be improved.

Each group will present their findings to the class. Please plan to have each group member participate in the presentation.