Happy Last Day of Classes!
Can you believe it? Even if you skipped classes today (guilty), go out and celebrate!
Hi Sparkies <3
Happy final day of classes! While the grind never stops, we hope that you’ll be able to relax before finals season and showcase. You’ve worked so hard this semester and deserve a break! Go grab some boba or treat yourself to a nice dinner!
For this 5th and final edition for this semester (don’t worry, we’ll be back in the fall!), we’ll be dropping the latest tech & design news, bringing more events, and personally inviting you to our showcase event this Friday!
💙 Penn Spark
You’re Invited! ⚡️
This Friday: Our Spring 2022 Project Showcase!
Come check out the projects we've been working on this past semester! From working directly with clients to building apps for the Penn community, our members have come together to work on a variety of technical and/or design projects. Our showcase will be Friday, April 29th from 4:30-6PM at the Harnwell Rooftop Lounge! Snacks will be provided!
Interested in attending? Head over to our Facebook page to learn more, RSVP, and share with your friends!
Tech & Design Updates 💡
The latest tech and design news that might ~spark~ your imagination and interest
Tech 💻
The Tech Bubble that Never Burst
For a decade, warnings about a tech bubble have only led to more money flooding into high-growth start-ups. Could this one be it?
Musk’s Plan to Reveal the Twitter Algorithm Won’t Solve Anything
When Elon Musk victory-tweeted his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter on Monday evening, he committed to improving the social network by, among other things, “making the algorithms open source to increase trust.”
A guide teaching programmers “to live longer” goes viral on GitHub among Chinese tech workers
A Chinese-language guide on GitHub entitled “HowToLiveLonger” is trending within the Chinese tech community. Despite its serious and scientific tone, the new “guide” appears to be a pointed joke, taking aim at ongoing overwork practices in China’s tech industry and their impact on employees’ mental and physical well-being.
Design 🖋
Yamaha Design Laboratory Recreates Toy Pianos as Traditional Japanese Furniture
What if the piano evolved independently in Japan? Yamaha Design Laboratory asked itself this question at the start of its latest project, a set of three furniture-style pianos developed in collaboration with the Department of Design at Chiba University.
This language app’s branding hopes to “open up a world of possibilities”
London-based brand consultancy Fellow has created the branding for language app Kleo, which uses a portal visual to transport users to different countries.
Wrigley’s Extra chewing gum drops “dental hygiene” codes in global rebrand
Wrigley’s Extra chewing gum has rebranded to move away from dental hygiene cues and instead focus on its variety of flavours.
Upcoming Events 📆
Upcoming hackathons, creative jams, conferences, and more to add to your calendar
Tech 💻
DragonHacks 2022, April 30 - May 1
DragonHacks is Drexel University's 24-hour hackathon which will be hosted by Drexel University IEEE in Spring 2022.
RU Hacks 2022, May 6 - 8
RU Hacks is Ryerson University’s student-run hackathon, an event open to anyone around the globe! Register for stellar workshops, events and mentorship opportunities, all hosted by a variety of incredible and diverse individuals.
Out for Undergrad: Engineering Conference, Sept. 16 - 18
Out for Undergrad invites high-achieving,LGBTQ+ undergraduates to four industry-specific programs (Tech, Engineering, Marketing, and Business), where they learn to navigate the nuances of a diverse corporate climate. In providing them with these resources, we help connect them with top companies, transform their professional skills, and kickstart their careers.
Design 🖋
CONFIG Figma Design Conference, May 10-11
Config is Figma’s annual conference where users come together to learn from each other. This year, it’ll take place virtually over a 24 hour period.
Innovation in UX/UI Design Conference 2022, May 13
Ideate Labs is hosting a design conference to discuss freelance, entrepreneurship, UX research, pivoting in UX, UI, diversity and inclusion
Virtua11y, May 17-19
Virtua11y brings the leading thinkers and doers in accessibility and digital inclusion to share best practice, the latest thinking and what the future holds for accessibility. Expect talks, panel discussions, workshops and interviews that you can enjoy for free.
Job Board 🤓
Tech and design positions tailored to college students like you <3