Associate Professor of Practice, Shanghai International College of Design and Innovation; Director, Fab Lab, Tongji University;
Founder, Fab Lab O
Professor Junfeng Ding is an Associate Professor at the Shanghai International College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University. Holding dual master's degrees in architecture and design, he founded China's first Fab Lab and promotes AI-empowered, design-driven STE(D)M education. He has organised several international forums and received honours such as the Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Award and the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award. An expert in the Ministry of Education's China STEM 2029 initiative, he co-authored the book STEM and Design Thinking. His research spans digital manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and art, contributing to global innovation and education. Professor Ding is also active at the forefront of AI digital media and exhibition practices.
As we enter the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the rapid development of artificial intelligence and GPT technologies is transforming traditional education models, which have long been based on the mass-production paradigms. These conventional models are facing significant challenges in an age where personalised needs are rising, and knowledge is evolving at an unprecedented speed. How should the education sector address these new realities?
Fab Lab O, rooted in the global Fab Lab network spearheaded by MIT, was established within the A+ Design discipline at Tongji University’s College of Design and Innovation. Grounded in practical applications and global contexts, the lab embraces Design Thinking as its core methodology and Project-Based Learning as its main approach. It integrates AI, digital manufacturing, and technologies such as VR and AR into traditional cultural subjects like music, painting, and history, forming an innovative STE(D)M curriculum model.
Professor Ding, through real-world case studies, will deeply explore the journey from concept to realisation in the field of digital manufacturing and educational innovation. He will share valuable insights gained from developing new approaches to education across all age groups, demonstrating how emerging technologies and hands-on learning can drive forward creative, AI-powered education for the future.