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The Ahmanson Lab

Polymathy values different ways of learning, knowing, and being, ranging from the written word to various modes of embodiment and creative practice. The Ahmanson Lab extends the Harman Academy's focus on integrative learning by offering students a space for experimentation, play, and creative exploration. Through workshops on design, digital authoring, physical computing and other creative endeavors, students explore the value of making to polymathic inquiry. A roster of faculty, artists, designers, and makers work with students to expand their thinking about the potentials of polymathic practice.

Want to learn more? Email Curtis Fletcher at cfletche@usc.edu with any questions.

Want to visit the Ahmanson Lab? We're located on the third floor of Leavey Library. Get directions here.

Stay connected with the Ahmanson Lab.

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    Simulation and Society

    The Ahmanson Lab is offering a course in spring 2025.

    This course offers students the opportunity to engage with technologies of simulation—ranging from extended reality and generative AI to big data modeling—to examine the shifting nature of human values, interactions, and attitudes in the early 21st century. In doing so, the course will guide students through a comprehensive, interdisciplinary study of virtual worlds, preparing them to engage with our increasingly simulated digital spaces in critical and informed ways.
    See the Ahmanson Lab Class

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    Ahmanson Lab Innovation Scholars

    Each academic year, a cohort of dedicated and creative USC students join us at the Ahmanson Lab as Innovation Scholars. Innovation Scholars work over the year with faculty, experts, artists, designers, and fellow students in one of our team-based Collaboratories. As part of their yearlong residence Innovation Scholars are also awarded $1000 stipend and given access to the Lab’s technology and space.
    See our current Innovation Scholars and learn how to apply.
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    Collaboratories

    Collaboratories are interdisciplinary, team-based research labs designed to engage students in critical making—activities that bridge critical thinking and digital fabrication. They are polymathic in nature, bringing faculty, experts, artists, designers, and students together at the Ahmanson Lab over an academic year. They are organized around topics, problems or set of questions that are best explored via the hands-on design and production of digital artifacts.
    See our Collaboratories.
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    Polymathic Making Workshops

    This series of hands-on workshops introduce attendees to cutting-edge technologies including Arduio and Raspberry PI microcontrollers, 3D modeling and printing, augmented reality, generative visual coding, neural networks and more. Workshops in this series are for a general audience and require no prior programing skills or technical expertise.
    See our Polymathic Making Workshop series.
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    Conversations

    No lecture. No readings. Just students. Just Conversation.

    Our Conversations series is an opportunity for students across disciplines to meet and talk about timely and engaging technology-related topics.
    See our Conversations series
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    Working Groups

    Working Groups are comprised of small teams of highly motivated students who work together on an interdisciplinary technology-oriented project over the course of the academic year. Working Group projects are conceived, designed, and directed by USC students using resources at the Ahmanson Lab.
    See our Working Groups.
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    Scalar

    Scalar is an authoring and publishing platform, supported by USC Libraries, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, and the School of Cinematic Arts, and used by faculty and students in college and university courses worldwide to create born-digital, media-rich research projects and exhibitions.
    See Scalar.
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    Lab Hours and Equipment

    Staff hold regular lab hours so you can drop by and learn about 3D printing, microcontrollers and more.
    Lab Equipment & Hours
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    Lab Space

    The Ahmanson Lab is located on the third floor of Leavey Library.
    Lab Space