IDM.GROW
Based in the Integrated Digital Media department at NYU, IDM.Grow is a multidisciplinary program aimed at designing creative solutions for various gardening challenges. By working directly with community partners, students actively engage with end users to create implementable designs. The program operates between two main sites — The Urban Food Lab located in the MakerSpace serves as a testing space for students to test prototypes. The second site is the IDM.Grow Lab — this space is both an edible garden and an educational point for the community to enjoy. Yield from the vertical garden and germination station is shared with the department and local partners. IDM.Grow also offers programming; lectures and workshops related to urban gardening, food access and agricultural innovation are available to help inform the NYU Integrated Digital Media community.
Select Student Work
Helen Zhou
Helen focused on developing a soil pH Degree Monitor for the IDM.GROW indoor garden.
Computer and Data Science Major
Rebecca Levy
Rebecca focused on developing plastic alternatives using biodegradable materials.
Sustainable Urban Environments Major
Individualized Study majorKatherine Yu Sun
Katherine focused on using S. Coelicolor bacteria to develop environmentally friendly fabric dyes.
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering MajorAna Vataj
Ana focused on creating a smart green house using arduino sensors.
Myra worked to develop water collection and filtration systems for the Ndor Eco Village in Ghana. She used natural materials available at the village to help create an efficient filtration and collection system. Ideally, if the model is successful, it could be used throughout neighboring villages as well.
Independent StudyMyra Khan
Gbemisola Opeoluwa Shonibare
Integrated Design and Media MajorBemi explored cultivating kombucha-based bacterial cellulose as a sustainable alternative textile material.