Design Thinking Summer Events

June 28, 2026

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. CAT

Hybrid: Virtual and SSE CP 41, American University in Cairo

Organizing university

American University in Cairo

Event description

Two upcoming sessions on design thinking, hosted at AUC with Dr. Matt Parkinson, professor of engineering design and mechanical engineering (Penn State University- currently on leave) and governing board member of the Global Design Thinking Alliance. These events are in collaboration with the AUC School of Sciences and Engineering, Afretec, and the AUC Center for Learning and Teaching.

Session 1: Scaling Project-Based Learning in Engineering Education - Hybrid Workshop
June 28, 1:00-2:30 pm CAT

Drawing on experience coordinating over 240 capstone projects and engaging more than 4,000 students annually, Dr. Parkinson shares practical frameworks for refining and scaling project-based learning across an engineering school.

This workshop will help participants:

  • Design clearer, more purposeful project briefs and aligned assessments
  • Coordinate PBL initiatives across departments and faculty teams
  • Apply coaching strategies that guide students through complex project work
  • Identify practical pathways for scaling PBL school-wide

Session 2: How to Use AI in Design Thinking: First Do No Harm
June 29, 1:00-2:00 pm CAT

Medicine's oldest ethical principle asks practitioners to weigh the cost of intervention against the cost of inaction. Design thinking faces a similar reckoning with AI. What are the benefits of AI integration and what is lost along the way?

This session does not assume AI is bad for human-centered design. It assumes the question deserves more than enthusiasm without a dose of critical skepticism. Dr. Parkinson and Hoda Mostafa will introduce a series of provocations around the role of artificial intelligence in design thinking and human-centered design addressing the key opportunities and concerns around AI and Design Thinking.

Speaker bio

Matt Parkinson is a professor of engineering design and mechanical engineering at Penn State University (currently on leave). His research efforts focus on the design of artifacts, tasks, and environments which are robust to human variability (e.g., anthropometry, capability, and preference). His work is reflected in design standards adopted by ISO, BIFMA, and HFES. He is a Penn State Teaching Fellow and has received numerous teaching and research awards. Among his other responsibilities, Matt coordinated over 240 fourth-year engineering capstone projects and provided materials, equipment, and training in design thinking and making to more than 4,000 students annually. Parkinson is a governing board member of the Global Design Thinking Alliance.

Participants

It is only open to Afretec members

Pillar

Teaching and learning

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