A unique collaboration is set to begin this week between Shenkar and Out of the Box, a social business for the development of entrepreneurship and innovation in space and aviation headed by Vered Cohen-Barzilay. The collaboration will take place as part of a unique accessibility course taught at the Department of Jewelry Design at Shenkar, led by lecturer Yael Ouliel and department head Uri Samet.

For several years, the Department of Jewelry Design at Shenkar has designed products and objects that 'interact' with the body and are not only aesthetic (jewelry), but also helpful, empowering, and enhancing.

The students will have the opportunity to simulate a complete design operation, from the research phase, the characterization and definition, through to the development and design of an actual product.

In the course, third-year students will develop products that will make physical and mental assistance accessible to women in the field of space. The products will be designed to integrate with technologies and materials that will be available in the near future, with an emphasis on smart functionality. The students will meet with key figures in entrepreneurship and space and will even participate in summit events and training in order to deepen their understanding of the conditions of space and the specific needs of women in space.

The collaboration was made possible thanks to two Shenkar institutions: the Unit for Social Responsibility headed by Keren Bittan Shemesh, the main institution responsible for fulfilling Shenkar’s vision to promote diverse populations and social activities in welfare and education, and SPACE SHENKAR led by Bar Brantz and the ACT Shenkar Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship headed by Daniel Altman.

Yael Ouliel – Lecturer at the Department of Jewelry Design at Shenkar: “It is common to think that space is distant and detached from our everyday life on Earth. But space is actually closely connected to our everyday lives. The pursuit of space exploration goes far beyond satisfying curiosity. Space exploration is a vehicle for discoveries, developments, inventions, research, and technologies that are integrated into the daily lives of each and every one of us. Space travel brings with it endless opportunities, questions, and dreams.”

Vered Cohen-Barzilay – Out of the Box CEO: “Women have always taken part in space programs, and all the research proves that they have excellent skills for working and living in space. Despite this, they have traditionally been excluded from astronaut training programs, and even after the gates were opened, women make up only eleven percent of all astronauts in space. Because of this, there is very little scientific research on the effects of the conditions in space on women, or solutions to help women on their journeys in space, be they long or short. In a world where space is open for every person to work or travel – we must not repeat the mistakes of the past, and women must be treated as equals in space.”

The partnership with Shenkar has quickly developed from a project-based connection into a far-reaching process and partnership. Shenkar has joined a larger national and international project, ME FIRST, led by Out of the Box in collaboration with Dr. Reut Sorek Abramovich, which is currently under development and will lead women into space.