Workshops for Students
Hands-on workshops for undergraduate and graduate students interested in exploring creative and emerging technologies.
Figma: Build Your First Design System
Monday, September 28, 12:30–1:30 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
What exactly is a design system, and why does it matter in professional design and development? Learn what makes up a design system, how to create reusable components, how to begin building your own minimal system, and how design systems are used by both designers and developers.
Getting Started with MCP: AI Agents & Connected Tools
Thursday, September 24, 12:30–1:30 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
What is Model Context Protocol (MCP), and why is it becoming an important skill? Explore prompting, terminal-based AI agents, MCP servers, and Paper MCP. Students will also learn how tools such as Cursor, Claude, and Codex can connect to other platforms and begin experimenting with MCP-supported workflows.
Google Gemini for Creative Projects: Ideas, Concepts & Development
Thursday, September 24, 4:00–5:00 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to Google Gemini as a creative partner for developing ideas and projects. Students will experiment with prompting, working with images and files, generating and refining concepts, exploring multiple creative directions, and using Gemini to support different stages of a project—from early brainstorming to more developed ideas and creative direction. The workshop emphasizes iteration, experimentation, and using AI as part of a broader creative process.
Creative Coding with p5.js: An Introduction
Thursday, October 1, 12:30–1:30 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Ever wondered how code can be used to make art? This beginner-friendly introduction to p5.js explores drawing, color, movement, patterns, and simple interaction with code. No prior coding experience is needed, and students will work toward creating their own mouse-reactive sketch.
Introduction to TouchDesigner
Wednesday, October 7, 12:30–1:45 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to TouchDesigner through your own images, video, and sound. Students will learn the basics of TouchDesigner’s node-based interface, import and manipulate their own media, experiment with visual effects, and explore how sound can be used to make visuals react and change in real time. No prior experience with TouchDesigner or creative coding is required.
Introduction to Unity
Wednesday, October 7, 3:30–4:45 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to Unity and learn the basic tools and workflows for working in a 3D environment. Students will become familiar with the Unity Hub and interface, build and platform settings, adding and manipulating GameObjects, cameras, lighting, materials, physics, and skyboxes. The workshop will also point students toward additional resources for continuing to explore Unity after the session.
Getting Started with GameMaker: Build Your First 2-D Game
Wednesday, October 7, 5:00–5:45 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to GameMaker, a beginner-friendly platform for creating 2D games and interactive experiences. Students will learn the basics of the GameMaker interface, work with rooms, sprites, objects, and instances, and use simple GameMaker Language (GML) to create movement and interaction. By the end of the workshop, students will build a small playable 2D game prototype that they can continue developing after the session. No prior experience with GameMaker, Unity, or programming is required.
Getting Started with MCP: AI Agents & Connected Tools
Thursday, October 8, 12:30–1:30 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
What is Model Context Protocol (MCP), and why is it becoming an important skill? Explore prompting, terminal-based AI agents, MCP servers, and Paper MCP. Students will also learn how tools such as Cursor, Claude, and Codex can connect to other platforms and begin experimenting with MCP-supported workflows.
Creating with Adobe Firefly: Images, Video & Sound
Thursday, October 8, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to Adobe Firefly and explore how generative AI can support creative ideation and visual development. Students will experiment with generating images, video, and sound, working with text prompts, and exploring ways Firefly can be incorporated into design, storytelling, and other creative projects. No prior experience with generative AI is required.
Figma: Build Your First Design System
Monday, October 12, 12:30–1:30 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
What exactly is a design system, and why does it matter in professional design and development? Learn what makes up a design system, how to create reusable components, how to begin building your own minimal system, and how design systems are used by both designers and developers.
Introduction to Unity
Wednesday, October 14, 3:30–4:45 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to Unity and learn the basic tools and workflows for working in a 3D environment. Students will become familiar with the Unity Hub and interface, build and platform settings, adding and manipulating GameObjects, cameras, lighting, materials, physics, and skyboxes. The workshop will also point students toward additional resources for continuing to explore Unity after the session.
Introduction to Ableton: Sound for Creative Projects
Wednesday, October 14, 5:00–5:50 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to Ableton and the basics of creating audio for games, interactive projects, videos, installations, and other creative work. Explore loops, MIDI, effects, samples, recording, and arranging while seeing how sound can shape the feeling and experience of a project.
Creative Coding with p5.js: An Introduction
Thursday, October 15, 12:30–1:30 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Ever wondered how code can be used to make art? This beginner-friendly introduction to p5.js explores drawing, color, movement, patterns, and simple interaction with code. No prior coding experience is needed, and students will work toward creating their own mouse-reactive sketch.
Google Gemini for Creative Projects: Ideas, Concepts & Development
Thursday, October 15, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to Google Gemini as a creative partner for developing ideas and projects. Students will experiment with prompting, working with images and files, generating and refining concepts, exploring multiple creative directions, and using Gemini to support different stages of a project—from early brainstorming to more developed ideas and creative direction. The workshop emphasizes iteration, experimentation, and using AI as part of a broader creative process.
Introduction to Unity
Wednesday, October 21, 3:30–4:45 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to Unity and learn the basic tools and workflows for working in a 3D environment. Students will become familiar with the Unity Hub and interface, build and platform settings, adding and manipulating GameObjects, cameras, lighting, materials, physics, and skyboxes. The workshop will also point students toward additional resources for continuing to explore Unity after the session.
Introduction to Ableton: Sound for Creative Projects
Wednesday, October 14, 5:00–5:50 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to Ableton and the basics of creating audio for games, interactive projects, videos, installations, and other creative work. Explore loops, MIDI, effects, samples, recording, and arranging while seeing how sound can shape the feeling and experience of a project.
Introduction to TouchDesigner
Wednesday, October 22, 12:30–1:45 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to TouchDesigner through your own images, video, and sound. Students will learn the basics of TouchDesigner’s node-based interface, import and manipulate their own media, experiment with visual effects, and explore how sound can be used to make visuals react and change in real time. No prior experience with TouchDesigner or creative coding is required.
Creating with Adobe Firefly: Images, Video & Sound
Thursday, October 22, 4:30 – 5:30 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to Adobe Firefly and explore how generative AI can support creative ideation and visual development. Students will experiment with generating images, video, and sound, working with text prompts, and exploring ways Firefly can be incorporated into design, storytelling, and other creative projects. No prior experience with generative AI is required.
Unity Part 2: Building 3D Environments
Wednesday, October 28, 3:30 – 4:45 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Continue building your Unity skills by creating and shaping a 3D environment. Students will explore terrain deformation and texture painting, add environmental details and trees, work with skyboxes and environmental lighting, incorporate audio, and use colliders to define how objects interact within a scene.
Getting Started with GameMaker: Build Your First 2-D Game
Wednesday, October 7, 5:00–5:45 PM ET
Room 603, 6th Floor, 6 East 16th Street | Register
Get introduced to GameMaker, a beginner-friendly platform for creating 2D games and interactive experiences. Students will learn the basics of the GameMaker interface, work with rooms, sprites, objects, and instances, and use simple GameMaker Language (GML) to create movement and interaction. By the end of the workshop, students will build a small playable 2D game prototype that they can continue developing after the session. No prior experience with GameMaker, Unity, or programming is required.
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