Scent, semantics, and sentiment: A mixed-methods investigation into odor-evoked memory and the aging mind

SenseLab’s inaugural pilot study explored the relationship between scent, autobiographical memory, and emotional state. Participants encountered carefully composed fragrance stimuli to reflect on personal recall and measurable mood shifts. This work will aim to establish a foundation for our multisensory research model and was completed in April 2026.

The Experiential Archive

A living micro-museum of student work in Experiential Design. This curated shelf system showcases material experiments and documentation to preserve traces of process and iteration. It invites students to situate their work within a lineage of experimentation and celebrate their achievements in experimentation.

Our current roster of work includes submissions by Isabella Cedrone ('25), Samira Elbehairy ('27), Cayli Mandel-McCann ('26), Kris Bellavance ('26), Alejandro Hernandez-Guzman ('26), and Zihan Deng ('25).

Analog Futures Workshop Series

This ongoing workshop series invites students to develop their critical thinking through analog making. By working with tactile, low-tech materials, participants use physical processes as a way to question, reflect, and think through ideas. Rather than focusing on outcomes alone, the workshop emphasizes analog methods as tools for exploration, helping students slow down, engage deeply, and generate more thoughtful, speculative approaches to future design.

Vessels

Vessels is an ongoing curation initiative within SenseLab. This rotating, in-lab exhibition is dedicated to prized objects, vintage wares, and highly intentional design artifacts that ground our workspace in materiality.