Dr. Katherine Hanisian, assistant professor in the School of Energy, Environmental, Biological and Medical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati will present “Design Impact: Design Thinking that Connects Professional Services to Economic Development.” The seminar will be held at noon Friday, Oct. 29, in St. Pat’s Ballroom A of the Havener Center. The seminar is hosted by the Environmental Research Center.

As the founder of the non-profit Design Impact, Hanisian will discuss her experience of starting an organization that connects design and engineering with grassroots non-profits. Over the past year, Design Impact has worked in rural southern India with the Organization of Development Action and Maintenance (ODAM). Together they developed two initiatives that impact rural economy, namely the charcoal briquette and Paruva Kaalam fair trade soap project. Hanisian will share insights from this experience, focusing on how design thinking plays an essential role in bridging the gap between an idea and its implementation.