a2ru emerging creatives student summit

The Future: By Design

March 2-5, 2023
University of Cincinnati

How can innovative design help us build a more sustainable, equitable future where we all can thrive? How can we best harness new technologies alongside design and future thinking to address our most pressing global concerns?

This year’s Emerging Creatives Student Summit, “The Future: By Design,” will be hosted by the University of Cincinnati at its brand-new Digital Futures Building in Cincinnati’s Innovation District. Digital Futures is a community of experts who partner with government, industry, and the community to deliver reliable and lasting solutions to the real problems impacting people’s lives.

Students will experience Digital Future’s cutting-edge labs and facilities and learn from Digital Futures faculty and staff about their innovative research. They will work in interdisciplinary teams with fellow students from across the a2ru network to create arts-integrative projects responding to the conference theme. Participants will also receive training from a2ru staff on best practices for interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as mentorship and feedback from Digital Futures and a2ru staff on their projects in progress. The three-day summit will conclude with presentations of each team’s project for their peers and mentors.

ArtsEngine is accepting applications from students from its five supporting schools and colleges to select 4 students (evenly split between arts-based disciplines and non-arts-based disciplines) to represent the University of Michigan at the 2023 Summit. U-M students will work with students from other a2ru partner institutions during the summit. Applicants will be notified within one week of the deadline to allow time to make travel arrangements. Selected students are encouraged to apply for funding through the a2ru student travel grant or a2ru scholar awards. U-M student representatives will have the opportunity to present to the associate deans following the summit.

Applications are due January 11, 2023 and must include at least one letter of support from a U-M faculty member.