San Francisco State University Students Participate in Global SUGAR Network Initiative
On March 24-31, 2025, San Francisco State University (SFSU) students and faculty represented the only U.S. institution at this year's SUGAR Network project, a global initiative dedicated to driving human-centered innovation. The SFSU team included four students: Quentin Brejoin (Computer Science), Nishtha Korde (Information Systems), Priscilla Price (Management), and Kanisha Bhavik Shah (Information Systems). Under the guidance of Leigh Jin, Ph.D., Information Systems Department Chair and Professor, and in collaboration with the team from d.school Paris de l’École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, the SFSU team addressed a real-world challenge presented by French multinational corporations: How can supply chain professionals adapt to GenAI?
The SUGAR project is built on Stanford University’s design thinking methodology, an iterative, human-centered approach to problem-solving that prioritizes creativity, practicality, and user needs. By navigating the two key phases of diverging (problem exploration) and converging (solution refinement), participants engage in ideation, prototyping, and user testing to develop innovative and effective solutions to a particular business challenge.
The SFSU team visited Paris d.school in March to collaborate with the University’s academic partners on prototyping and user testing of the solutions. Not only did this experience lead to significant progress on the project, but it also fostered meaningful cross-cultural exchange and strengthened the spirit of international collaboration. Working alongside the Paris d.school, SFSU students enhanced their design-thinking skills and gained a deeper understanding of the significant role diverse perspectives play in the development of innovations.
The SFSU team was supported by Lam Family College of Business Dean Eugene Sivadas, Ph.D., and Chris Novak, Head of Information Technology at the J. Paul Leonard Library at SF State.
This project was a unique opportunity for SFSU students to develop impactful solutions to a real-world business challenge and strengthen their skills in global collaboration, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary thinking, thereby preparing them to drive innovation in the dynamic world of business and artificial intelligence (AI).
