We’re off to see the MIT!
The relationship between the Food Innovation Program and the MIT Media Lab started in 2015 when Caleb Harper presented the City Farm to the students of the first cohort, an initiative that revolutionizes agricultural production using aeroponic technology and sensors to optimize the growth of vegetable crops.
This year in Boston, FIP students visited the Media Lab complex. The philosophy of the Media Lab emphasizes an “unorthodox research approach” to study how emerging technologies impact us humans and “fundamentally transform our most basic notions of human capabilities” — as stated on their facebook page. Let us imagine for a moment what this could mean for the food that gives us our daily sustenance, and all the knowledge, culture and behaviour that surrounds it.
The visit started with our friend Carmelo Presicce, who presented how kindergartens could be also for grown ups who wish to unleash their creativity and curiosity, check out his video presentation here.
At the Senseable City lab, the students followed a very interesting presentation given by Erin Baumgartner, the assistant director, on how sensors contribute to gaining insights about cities, in a manner that allows anticipating change within cities and study them from a critical point of view .
The Martin Trust Center for MIT entrepreneurship was another important stop, what was of particular interest was the acceleration program that allows students to develop their entrepreneurial ideas. Not too far from it was the Future+Food CoLab, the product of cooperation between MIT and IDEO . Empowering people to make conscious food choices is the mission they took on. It is amazing how many projects came under their umbrella, check them out in this Medium story. One of the most interesting examples was how Lego was used to encourage self discovery and learning with kids, and teach them about food, while respecting their individuality and choices.
Le Laboratoire Cambridge is a crucible where science and art melt together, and gives rise to fundamentally new ways for education, culture, industry and society. They operate on three pillars: cutting-edge exhibitions, dynamic public programming, and immersive food and drink experiences.
Finally it was time for our champions to reward themselves after a day of attentively keeping track of one exciting project after the other, and went for a lobster roll at Neptune Oyster Boston
The excitement continues… Next stop: New York!
Special thanks to Alice Satchell Bennets for editing this story.
