Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.

Luminosity Lab moves from corporate problem solving to platforming student creativity

The Luminosity Lab aims high with new 'moonshot' philosophy for student-generated solutions

Community-fulton-honeywell-partnership

The Fulton Center on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Tempe. The Luminosity Lab was previously housed in the center, but the lab is moving to a new location. 


Nearly a decade after its formation, The Luminosity Lab is shooting for the moon with new projects and entirely student-led endeavors. The research lab has moved from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering to a new location and has changed its strategy, allowing students to take the lead in the idea generating process. 

Previously, the students involved in the lab would be given problems to solve from corporations like Starbucks. Now the lab encourages students to come up with their own "moonshot" ideas. 

"Luminosity is an interdisciplinary research and development lab that is entirely student driven," said Jasmine Amoako-Agyei, assistant director at The Luminosity Lab. "The idea is to bring together an exceptional community of thinkers and doers who really want to bring about the change that they want to see in the world."

While solving problems remains the main focus of the lab, the problems being solved are now chosen by the students who work on the project instead of outside corporate entities. These entities still help provide funding for the lab, but the majority of the lab's money comes from grants and a strategic fund from ASU President Michael Crow.

READ MORE: Pirates of the Pavement win Red Bull Chariot Race in Tempe

"It was stifling the creativity of a lot of the students because instead of having the space to think broad and imagine the what ifs of any possibility, they were meeting deliverables," Amoako-Agyei said. "They were getting assignments done in a corporate format, and so we found that it was taking away from the original mission of Luminosity." 

Ideation is the process that drives the lab to come up with solutions to overarching problem statements. Ideation at The Luminosity Lab is a space where students can pitch solutions and workshop their ideas before dedicating thousands of dollars and hours to a specific project.

Nabiha Alam, a junior studying electrical engineering, has been a part of the lab since her freshman year and is involved in its scholarship program, which is what initially drew her to the lab.

"I love the shift that's happened because obviously having industry partners are nice, but I didn't like how we focused on those projects," Alam said. "It's way better for us to come up with our own projects and then we get to pursue it and we have a lot of support with that."

Currently, Alam is working on a hydroponic system for the International Space Station.  

"I've been working on this project for around two years now and I'm able to get a lot of help," Alam said. "One thing that I like about Luminosity Lab is, even if you don't know how to do something, there's someone in the lab who can help you with it."

Once a project is through its initial planning and development stages, it is pitched to companies across the country. Grace Reiter, a senior studying economics and sustainability, is currently in the third stage of her Luminosity Lab project Verdantt Fresh LLC

"We spent probably three to four months just researching the problem statement a little bit more clearly, and ideating and generating this solution," Reiter said. "Once we finally came to what Verdantt is today, we decided to be a little bit more intentional with our funding processes."

In the third stage, Reiter and her team have been applying for trademarks and patents as well as preparing to launch their app. 

"We are actually launching our app on the App Store in May, so that will be really exciting," Reiter said. "We've been working for a few months now with a team of back end developers who are actually also females and Arizona State University students."

Connecting students with the resources to achieve their dreams, The Luminosity Lab will continue to evolve. Projects usually take multiple years to develop, so the long-term effects of this transition remain to be seen. 

"We have seen students that have really stepped into their own," Amoako-Agyei said. "Because we've given them a space to take on leadership roles on projects (and) to work on ideas that really matter to them personally."

Edited by Senna James, Sophia Ramirez and Katrina Michalak. 


Reach the reporter at allipper@asu.edu and follow @lippert_audrey on X.

Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.


Audrey LippertCommunity Reporter

Audrey is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication with a minor in Spanish. This is her first semester with The State Press. She has also worked at Blaze Radio.


Continue supporting student journalism and donate to The State Press today.

Subscribe to Pressing Matters



×

Notice

This website uses cookies to make your experience better and easier. By using this website you consent to our use of cookies. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.