Brandeis Magazine
Charting a New Course

Photo Credit: Gaelen Morse
The university debuted its first engineering course, Introduction to Design Methodology, in fall 2023. The course provides an overview of the engineering design process with a focus on human-centered design. It exemplifies how engineering at Brandeis will support the program’s mission of creating socially minded engineers.
Throughout the semester, students work in small teams to identify real social problems, design solutions, and build out models. For example, students might design an assistive device to solve common problems for humans or animals, such as cutlery for people whose tremors make it difficult to use regular silverware, a board game for visually impaired children, or a feeding chair that helps dogs suffering from digestive conditions. In future semesters, students might focus on solar lighting systems, green design, or water systems.
“This first course is all about how you find an interesting problem worthy of tackling, then how you come up with an idea to address it,” says senior lecturer Ian Roy ’05, who also teaches business at Brandeis. “In shaping the curriculum, we came up with this idea of using all of these tools we have to leave the world better than we found it.”
Greg Roitbourd ’26 says the class “perfectly embodied the concept of STEAM.” Short for “science, technology, engineering, arts, and math,” the concept emphasizes the study of the arts to bolster creativity in the sciences.
Ifigenia Oxyzolou ’26 adds that the course shines a light on what makes Brandeis “so amazing” in general. “You can […] do a little bit of everything,” she says.