Syracuse University

UQ Generator

FINALIST PROJECT

Nia Griffin, Karri Clay

The UQ Generator is a bio-hybrid energy system that helps decentralize power generation in energy-poor countries by using bacteria to convert hydrogen into usable energy. Designed with a community-focused model, one unit can power up to five homes, encouraging cooperation rather than individualism. The project offers an alternative to large-scale industrial energy systems through adaptable co-design, supporting local cultures, skills, trade, sustainable development, community collaboration, and environmentally responsible infrastructure growth.

Yves A. Michel teaches industrial and interaction design at Syracuse University’s School of Design, where his work explores conceptual design, biomimicry, and biodesign. Through his biodesign lab, Symbiosis Project, he uses conceptual design as a research method to develop novel concepts, biohybrid systems, and speculative futures that imagine biology and technology coexisting within a shared ecology. His master’s thesis, Biomimicry and Innovation in Sustainable Design, examined how nature-inspired strategies can drive innovative and sustainable outcomes. Before joining Syracuse University, Michel taught industrial design sketching at Université de Montréal and worked across the United States and Canada with brands including Reebok, Adidas, CCM Hockey, BRP, Essential Design, Safety 1st, Lime Design, and MO Workshop. Drawing on nearly two decades of professional experience, he later founded Yami Space to expand his interdisciplinary practice beyond the boundaries of traditional industrial design. His teaching and research emphasize sustainability, experimentation, and interdisciplinary collaboration in design