Applying a Systems Thinking Approach to Food Sustainability on MIT Campus

Acquire professional systems engineering skills while you help make MIT campus more sustainable!

In this two-day virtual workshop (IAP, not for credit), open to MIT undergraduate students in any year and any major, you will tackle real-world challenges in food sustainability that are relevant to you as a student at MIT. Student teams will apply a systems thinking approach using OPCloud, a state-of-the-art system modeling tool used by professional system engineers.

At the start of Day 1, Professor Edward Crawley from MIT AeroAstro will introduce Professor James W. Jones, a world-renowned expert in food security from the University of Florida. Prof. Jones will present the challenge for the workshop.

Working in small teams, you will create a conceptual model of the challenge and learn how to identify points of leverage (high impact-to-cost ratio) in your model. There is no need to have a team before joining the workshop.

At the end of Day 2, your team will present their suggestions to Prof. Jones and to Susy Jones from MIT Office of Sustainability. Lastly, you will hear about opportunities to (a) develop and implement your suggestions on MIT campus and (b) have your work featured in professional publications.

The workshop will be led by systems thinking educator Dr. Rea Lavi, Lecturer and Curriculum Designer for the NEET undergraduate program at MIT School of Engineering.

You do not need to register to the workshop - just join via zoom: https://mit.zoom.us/j/98867122163

To receive an email reminder 24hrs before the event and a calendar invite, click here.

We look forward to seeing you at the workshop!

Prof. Jones and Dr. Lavi