RMV 16 Dr. Mick Smyer: You Can Design Climate Action

On the newest episode of Results May Vary, we introduce you to aging and climate change expert, Dr. Mick Smyer, and his Graying Green movement, which aims to engage more older adults in taking impactful action on climate change.

Among his many accomplishments, Mick is the former Provost and a current Professor of Psychology at Bucknell University. In addition, currently on his second year of sabbatical, he is working on Graying Green as a Civic Innovation Fellow at Stanford d.school, learning the power of applying design thinking to social activism. And maybe most impressive are his prodigious skills as a washboard player with New Orleans’ own Rustical Quality String Band.

Show Links

Follow Mick on Twitter

Old People Don't Care About Climate Change is Mick's Facebook page prototype for one of his d.school assignments. 

Before The Flood is the powerful National Geographic documentary starring Leonardo DiCaprio as he travels the world to witness climate change firsthand.

Laura Carstensen, author of A Long Bright Future, gives a compelling TEDTalk on how people become happier as they age.

Yale's Program on Climate Change Communication conducts scientific studies on public opinion and behavior; informs the decision-making of governments, media, companies, and advocates; educates the public about climate change; and helps build public and political will for climate action.

 

 

RMV 14 Aaron Sklar: You Can Design Healthcare

As the U.S. healthcare system undergoes a technology revolution, the impact on us as patients, and for providers, often falls short of the promises made. In our newest episode, we ask healthcare innovator, Aaron Sklar, how we can fix our broken system. You may not be surprised to hear, he thinks it involves a whole lot of Design Thinking! 

Aaron is the VP of Design at Welltok, and the founder of Prescribe Design, a network of healthcare experts and design professionals collaborating to re-imagine medical products and services. Its underlying intention is to use design (and designers) as key contributors to fulfilling the promise and creating healthcare experiences that are useful, usable, delightful and impactful.

The work he's doing today could have a huge impact on how we engage with the healthcare system tomorrow. What does his vision look like? You'll have to listen to find out!

RMV 13 Story Musgrave: Should You Really Try To Design Your Life?

What CAN'T you say about Story Musgrave? He holds 7 graduate degrees in math, computers, chemistry, medicine, physiology, literature and psychology, and has been awarded 20 honorary doctorates. He was a part-time trauma surgeon during his 30 year career as an astronaut, AND has had a cameo on Home Improvement.

Today, in his 80s, he operates a palm farm in Florida, among other things, including giving amazing talks about human performance, and raising his youngest daughter, also named Story.

We asked him how he designed such an incredible life and he told us he’s not sure you can, or should. However he does it, his perspective, and life story is absolutely fascinating.