Children must be taught how to think, not what to think – Margaret Mead
Each of us feels connected to a cause. I care about kids and design education for several reasons. Children have amazing creativity and energy. They possess a brave attitude and the ability to think differently. They can explore new ideas!
Volunteering
Kids and Design Education – Design Thinking Workshops for Young Students
I routinely Volunteer as a guest speaker at the ‘Code for Fun’ and ‘Sewausa.org‘ product design camps for elementary to high-school students.
Things are changing rapidly around us and the real-life problem is getting more complex and abstract. To solve them, the young generation needs to develop a growth mindset. They must learn important problem-solving, analytical, and spatial thinking skills. These skills will be increasingly important in the future. I feel exposing young students to the concept of Design Thinking is one step toward preparing them for their future. Therefore, I conduct Design Thinking workshops for young students.
Design Talks
I have been expressing my thoughts on design management, innovation, and design at various community forums. Here are snippets from a few of my recent industry talks.
Links to my talks
Insta live knowledge sharing session for Design Management Students
UX Talks Conference – Women in Design
Solve By Design – an online design symposium
Avantika Designeering Podcast Series
AntWak – Knowledge-sharing videos
Guest lecture at UC Berkeley Extension
Mentor – LEAD Design Thinking program for high-school students at Sewa.org
Diversityq – Women in IT Awards USA 2023 Judging Panelist
Design Teaching
While in India I have been a mentor, guest faculty, and jury member for postgrad and undergrad students specializing in User Experience Design at MIT Institute of design.
Art as a Medium of Expression and Exploration
In July 2019, I organized a group art show with my friends. The theme was ‘Vanishing Traditions’ and ‘Nature.’ This art exhibition served as a tribute to the traditions and tribal communities in India that are disappearing rapidly. Nature is my primary inspiration, and I delight in exploring various shapes, textures, and colors inspired by the natural world in my art.
Riya Thosar 