March 2026

DSI’s SVA Alumni Scholarship Award Winners 2026

Congratulations to SVA MFA Design for Social Innovation’s SVA Alum Award Winners 2026, Ae Duk Lee & Iris Pan, and Xiaolan Fu, Hao Jie Sim, and Kelsey Zhang!

Ae Duk Lee & Iris Pan’s award-winning work examines how New York City can expand high-quality, age-appropriate, and affordable hands-on STEM opportunities for K-5 children. The proposed intervention is a community “Moving STEM Library” that brings mobile low-cost pop-up hands-on workshops directly to children and families.

Xiaolan Fu, Hao Jie Sim, and Kelsey Zhang’s award-winning project, Aging in Play, explores how play can become a shared community practice that supports health, connection and agency for older adults. In New York City, play for older adults is often narrow, occasional, and undervalued. In partnership with Open Door Older Adult Center, the project develops an accessible play kit and shared experiences that help play take root in community life.

Congrats Ae Duk, Iris, Xiaolan, Hao Jie, and Kelsey! We’re so proud to have you as part of the DSI community.