Makers
Just Like in a Climate-Enhanced Disaster, We Leaned on our Whole Community to Make This Game a Reality!
Innovators Throughout Climatopia™ Development
Climatopia™ is a result of nearly four years of UNC Chapel-Hill students and staff creatively developing and producing a fabric game to teach children of all ages about climate resilience. Innovations ranged from original art, to detailed technical fabric design and fabrication of the game board, parts bag, and resource backpack. Everyone contributed to creating game strategies, introducing the game to the community, and incorporating the latest recommendations on how to prepare for climate change disaster-enhanced events. Many directly contributed to the production of cutting-edge 3D plastic and laser-cut wood game pieces. Some of the top innovators transformed the game from idea to reality, and their contributions are described below.
Rachel Willis
Occupation: Professor in American Studies & Economics at UNC-Chapel Hill
Role: Leading students through the development of Climatopia™
Sydney Thomas
Majors: Biology and Climate Change & Health
Year: Class of 2021
Roles: Co-Founder of Climatopia™, 2020 Summer Teaching Intern, and 2020 Fall Teaching Intern
Alexandros Pistiolis
Majors: Biology and Chemistry
Year: Class of 2021
Role: 2020 Fall Teaching Intern focusing on the science of climate change and its impact
Karla Cordova
Major: Biology
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: 2021 Spring Teaching Intern and 3D Game Piece Maker
Jamie Dement
Occupation: CEO of Kidzu Children’s Museum
Education: American History Degree from UNC-Chapel Hill
Roles: Research Committee and helped get DOT maps for utilization on game bags
Lauren Cmiel
Majors: Environmental Studies and Journalism
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Web Design
Madeline Marks
Major: Environmental Science
Year: Class of 2021
Role: Media Team
Sophie Hass
Majors: English & Comparative Literature and American Studies
Minor: Geography
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Product Design Team
Kaitlin Peck
Major: Environmental Science
Minors: Biology & Medicine, Literature, and Science Culture
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Strategic Research Team
Grace Pigford
Major: Biology
Year: Class of 2020
Role: Creative Team (Game Board Design)
Jack Roche
Major: Chemistry
Year: Class of 2025
Roles: Illustration and Communication Team
Sarah Carrier
Occupation: Research and Instruction Librarian at UNC-Chapel Hill
Education: Masters Degree in Library and Information Science at UNC-Chapel Hill
Roles: Fabricator and Bag Maker
Jeff Manion
Major: Accounting
Year: Class of 2022
Roles: Model Design and Product Coordination
Sydney Van Buren
Major: Communications
Minor: American Studies
Year: Class of 2024
Roles: Chief Operating Officer
Miles Lindstrom
Major: Economics (B.A.)
Minor: Philosophy, Politics, & Economics (PPE)
Year: Class of 2024
Roles: Chief Communication Officer for Website (Fall 2023)
Gabrielle Augier
Major: Global Studies
Year: Class of 2026
Roles: Fall 2023 Game Design and Spring 2024 Research and Communication Team
Kailey Wadsworth
Major: Health Policy & Management
Minors: Social & Economic Justice
Year: Class of 2026
Role: Laser Wood Cutter
Julia Barnett
Major: English & Comparative Literature
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: Spring 2023 Fabricator and Fall 2023 Technical Writing Team
Hannah Garner
Major: Psychology and English & Comparative Literature
Year: Class of 2024
Roles: Fall 2023 Technical Writing Team and Spring 2024 Research and Communication Team
Peyton Wojcik
Major: English & Comparative Literature
Year: Class of 2024
Roles: Fall 2023 Technical Writing Team and Spring 2024 Research and Communication Team
Cher Xiong
Major: Information Sciences
Minor: Data Science
Year: Class of 2022
Role: 3D Printing
Mikayah Oxendine
Major: Information Science
Minors: Environmental Justice and American Studies
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: Spring 2022 Fabricator and Fall 2021 Textile Manufacturing and Development Team
Jada Willse
Major: Statistics
Minors: Data Science and Psychology
Year: Class of 2024
Roles: Fall 2021 Illustration and Communication Team
Richard Aillen Taylor Occupation: UNC Greenlaw Hall Office Manager, Freelance Web Designer and Illustrator 
AMST 641: Communicating Water Challenges of Climate Change with the Visual and Performing Arts
The Spring 2024 Research and Communication Team is made up of four students who have previously worked on Climatopia, along with assistance from several others who have contributed to the project. The Research Team has been responsible for game promotion at a series of high-profile events, including the 2024 Pathways to Achieving Civic Engagement Conference and the 2024 UNC Clean Tech Summit.
Sydney Van Buren
Major: Communications (interest in Performance Studies)
Minor: American Studies
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Chief Operating Officer
Gabrielle Augier
Major: Global Studies
Year: Class of 2026
Roles: Game Design
Hannah Garner
Majors: Psychology and English
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Helped create legible, accessible, and concise content for Climatopia™ by copy-editing cards and instructions, and generated style guides for future Climatopia™ production.
Peyton Wojcik
Major: English & Comparative Literature
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Copy and developmentally edited card and website content for clarity and accessibility, and created style guides for consistency of Climatopia™ materials
AMST 398: Service Learning – Climatopia
The Fall 2023 team consisted of fifteen students with additional help from previous Climatopia™ makers. As this is the last class to work on Climatopia™, this team worked hard to complete the board game in a fashion that effectively showcased all of the previous work. The vision of Climatopia™ finally came to fruition through the Fall 2023 team.
Sydney Van Buren
Major: Communications (interest in Performance Studies)
Minor: American Studies
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Chief Operating Officer
Halle Evans
Major: Environmental Health Sciences
Minors: Geography and Music
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Chief Communication Officer for Outreach Division
Miles Lindstrom
Major: Economics (B.A.)
Minor: Philosophy, Politics, & Economics (PPE)
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Chief Communication Officer for Website
Emma Brown
Major: Communications
Year: Class of 2024
Roles: Communication/Social Media and Fabricator
Rachel Kneubuehl
Majors: Environmental Studies and Public Policy
Minors: Italian and Public Policy
Year: Class of 2026
Roles: Communication/Social Media and Laser Wood Cutter
Kim Navarro
Major: Political Science
Minors: Education and Social & Economic Justice
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Fabricator
Jackson Krider
Major: Economics
Minor: Geography
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Game Design
Gabrielle Augier
Major: Global Studies
Year: Class of 2026
Roles: Game Design
Alex Beddick
Major: Environmental Science and Public Policy
Minor: Biology
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Game Design
Ashley Aragon
Major: Biology
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Laser Wood Cutter
Elizabeth White
Major: Linguistics
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Game Design
Rich Daw
Majors: Economics and Religious Studies
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Game Design
Kailey Wadsworth
Major: Health Policy & Management
Minors: Health & Society and Social & Economic Justice
Year: Class of 2026
Role: Laser Wood Cutter
Saketh Davareddy
Major: Computer Science
Minors: Cognitive Science and Data Science
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Website Design
Spencer Williams
Major: Biology
Year: Class of 2026
Roles: Laser Wood Cutter
Technical Writing Team:
During the Fall 2023 semester, a team of four ENGL 411 students worked directly with the makers of Climatopia™ to improve the game. They created style guides for all Climatopia™ materials. They edited the game cards, rules, board, bags, and website. This team made written aspects of Climatopia™ as concise, legible, and digitally accessible as possible.
Peyton Wojcik
Major: English & Comparative Literature
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Copy and developmentally edited card and website content for clarity and accessibility, and created style guides for consistency of Climatopia™ materials
Julia Barnett
Majors: English & Comparative Literature
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: Fabric and Textile Leader, helped create accessible, and concise content for the Climatopia Sewing Manual and game text.
Hannah Garner
Majors: Psychology and English
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Helped create legible, accessible, and concise content for Climatopia by copy-editing cards and instructions, and generated style guides for future Climatopia production.
Grayson Dismukes
Major: Media & Journalism
Year: Class of 2026
Roles: Editing card content for clarity and accessibility.
AMST 460: Rising Waters
The 2023 team consisted of sixteen students. The students worked together across six different teams, all making significant contributions to the progress of Climatopia™. The 2023 team was full of creative and passionate students who were dedicated to improving the already fun and educational game about environmental sustainability.
Sydney Van Buren
Major: Communications (interest in Performance Studies)
Minor: American Studies
Year: Class of 2024
Roles: Chief Operating Officer and Fabricator
Dashanese Carpio Ventura
Majors: Political Science and Women & Gender Studies
Minor: Latina/o Studies
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: Chief Liaison Officer and Community Liaison/Social Media
Daniel Nance
Majors: Statistics and Analytics
Minor: Data Science
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Web Design
Julie Henthorn
Major: Communication Studies (Concentration in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication)
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Web Design
Pranav Pinapala
Majors: Public Policy and Journalism (Advertising & Public Relations)
Year: Class of 2026
Roles: Card Content & Research and Laser Wood Cutter
Miles Lindstrom
Major: Economics (B.A.)
Minor: Philosophy, Politics, & Economics (PPE)
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Web Design
Shaurik Deshpande
Majors: Statistics & Analytics and Computer Science
Minor: Neuroscience
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: Game Design and Feedback
Zizhou Lu
Major: Computer Science
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: Game Design and Feedback
Gabrielle Atkinson
Major: Communication studies (Organizational and Interpersonal)
Minors: Social & Economic Justice and American Studies
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Community Liaison/Social Media
Katrina Samuels
Majors: Business Administration and Statistics & Analytics
Year: Class of 2026
Role: Community Liaison/Social Media
Tikiyah Davis
Majors: Political Science and Communication Studies(Concentration in Media & Technology Studies and Production)
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Community Liaison/Social Media
Julia Barnett
Major: English and Comparative Literature
Minor: Art History
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Fabricator
Christopher Harper
Major: Information & Library Science
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Laser Wood Cutter
Nathaniel Kimberly
Major: American Studies
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Laser Wood Cutter
Tiana Dinham
Majors: Geological Sciences (Earth Science) and Exercise & Sport Science
Year: Class of 2026
Roles: Card Content & Research and Fabricator
AMST 398: Service Learning in America
The 2022 team consisted of ten members across five teams led by Dr. Rachel Willis. This team worked on improving the game bag, game pieces, cards, resources and information for our players, and much more! Each member brought their unique skills and knowledge to continue to improve Climatopia™!
Juliana Koricke
Major: Economics
Minor: Women & Gender Studies
Year: Class of 2022
Roles: Sewing and Game Packaging
Cole Schmidt
Major: PWAD – International Security and Intelligence
Year: Class of 2022
Roles: Sewing and Game Packing
Cher Xiong
Major: Information Science
Minor: Data Science
Year: Class of 2022
Role: 3D Printing
Caroline Shields
Major: Management & Society
Minor: Social & Economic Justice
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: Sewing & Game Packaging and Environmental Education Partner Research
Betseat Tadiwos
Majors: Philosophy and Political Science
Minor: Social & Economic Justice
Year: Class of 2022
Role: Vinyl Cutting
Edward Estrada
Major: Economics
Year: Class of 2022
Role: 3D Printing
Marshall Bettler
Major: Computer Science
Year: Class of 2022
Role: Website Design
Mikayah Oxendine
Major: Information Science
Minors: Environmental Justice and American Studies
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: Sewing and Game Packaging
Jordan S. Jordan
Major: Linguistics
Minor: Greek
Year: Class of 2022
Role: Vinyl Cutting
Jeff Manion
Major: Accounting
Year: Class of 2022
Roles: Model Design and Product Coordination
AMST 460: Rising Waters
The 2021 team consisted of eleven students and a teaching team of three. The students worked together across five teams to make Climatopia™ educational, accessible, and most of all, fun!
Karla Cordova
Major: Biology
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: 2021 Spring Teaching Intern and 3D Game Piece Maker
Jack Roche
Major: Chemistry
Year: Class of 2025
Roles: Illustration and Communication Team
Jada Willse
Major: Statistics
Minors: Data Science and Psychology
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Illustration & Communication Team
Sophie Hass
Majors: English & Comparative Literature and American Studies
Minor: Geography
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Product Design Team
Keana Oldham
Majors: Mathematics and Environmental Science
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Product Design Team
Casey Dulaney
Majors: Statistics and Geography
Year: Class of 2024
Role: Strategic Research Team
Kaitlin Peck
Major: Environmental Science
Minors: Biology & Medicine, Literature, and Science Culture
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Strategic Research Team
Avery Brannan
Majors: Political Science and Peace, War, & Defense
Minor: Philosophy, Politics, & Economics (PPE)
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: Textile Manufacturing and Development Team
Mikayah Rhianna Oxendine
Major: Information Science
Minor: Environmental Justice
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: Textile Manufacturing and Development Team
Claire Bradley
Major: Environmental Studies
Minors: Geography and Data Science
Year: Class of 2022
Role: Website Design
Lucy Gray
Major: Statistics & Analytics
Minors: Environmental Science/Studies and Public Policy
Year: Class of 2022
Role: Website Design
Jordan S. Jordan
Major: Linguistics
Minor: Classical Greek
Year: Class of 2022
Roles: Illustration and Communication Team
AMST 460: Rising Waters
The 2020 makers were divided into 4 separate teams based on students’ skill sets and preferences. Each team had a different role to play in the creation of this game. They also had two teaching assistants and Dr. Willis heading the project and guiding all the teams!
Sydney Thomas
Majors: Biology and Climate Change & Health
Year: Class of 2021
Roles: Co-Founder of Climatopia™, 2020 Summer Teaching Intern, and 2020 Fall Teaching Intern
Alexandros Pistiolis
Majors: Biology and Chemistry
Year: Class of 2021
Role: 2020 Fall Teaching Intern
Madeline Marks
Major: Environmental Science
Year: Class of 2021
Role: Website Designer
Lauren Cmiel
Majors: Environmental Studies and Journalism
Year: Class of 2023
Role: Website Designer
Sarah Carrier
Occupation: Research and Instruction Librarian at UNC-Chapel Hill
Education: Masters Degree in Library and Information Science at UNC-Chapel Hill
Roles: Fabricator and Bag Maker
Jamie Dement
Occupation: CEO of Kidzu Children’s Museum
Education: American History Degree from UNC-Chapel Hill
Roles: Research Committee and helped get DOT maps for utilization on game bags
Mackenzie Stanley
Majors: Peace, War, & Defense and History
Year: Class of 2021
Roles: Chief Communicator of Research Team
Karla Cordova
Major: Biology
Year: Class of 2023
Roles: 2021 Spring Teaching Intern and 3D Game Piece Maker
Stephanie Jung
Majors: Statistics and Applied Mathematics
Year: Class of 2020
Role: Digital Team
Eva Ramirez
Major: Environmental Science
Year: Class of 2021
Role: Digital Team
Grace Pigford
Major: Biology
Year: Class of 2020
Role: Creative Team (Game Board Design)
Rachel Maunus
Majors: Environmental Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies
Year: Class of 2022
Role: Game Board Design
Julia Yates
Majors: Biology and Religious Studies
Year: Class of 2021
Role: Card Content
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Collaborators
The Climatopia™ students leaned on the services and assistance of many organizations and people around the UNC campus to help bring Climatopia™ to life. Through direct assistance from BeAM, Spoonflower, APPLES Services Learning, and many more people, Climatopia™ became a fully polished product to present to the community.
UNC BeAM:
BeAM@CAROLINA is a network of makerspaces at UNC that create a community for the design and making of physical objects for education, research, entrepreneurship, and recreation. They host open studios, training sessions, workshops, classes and group activities in spaces equipped with emerging technologies like 3D printing as well as wood and metalworking shops.
BeAM Lab Support:
Climatopia™ would not be a reality without the constant help from the BeAm lab staff. Key components of Climatopia™ such as the cutting of the laser wood pieces and sewing of the game board are done within the BeAM labs. The constant help of the BeAM staff and equipment present in the labs has helped to make Climatopia™ the game it is today.
Anna Engelke
Education Program Manager, BeAM Network of Makerspaces
Role: Provided tools and materials through BeAM
Kenny Langley
BeAM Director
Role: Provided tools and materials through BeAM
Joel Hopler
Technical Supervisor
Role: Provided tools and materials through BeAM
D.J. Fedor
Technical Supervisor
Role: Provided tools and materials through BeAM
American Studies Support:
Richard Aillen Taylor, Office Manager of Greenlaw Hall, assisted with all of the fabric and other material orders for Climatopia™ since Spring 2021. A professional illustrator, cartoonist, and graphic art designer, he also helped with printing Character, Resource, and Quiz Cards, and mentored Climatopia™ students on how to use various software programs to improve the art, digital design, and printing of game cards.
Richard Aillen Taylor
UNC Greenlaw Office Manager
Freelance Web Designer and Illustrator
Richard’s work can be viewed here. Find Richard on Facebook here.
Role: Game and Print Consultant, provided assistance with printing game materials
Spoonflower:
Spoonflower is an online marketplace and custom fabric printing company that allows individuals to design and create their own fabric. In regards to Climatopia™, Spoonflower has helped the Climatopia™ board game and game bags become a reality. Their great customer service, end-products, and many fabrics have helped Climatopia™ become the great board game that it is today!
Apples Service-Learning:
APPLES Service-Learning is a student-led program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that transforms educational experiences by connecting academic learning and public service. Since 1990, APPLES has strengthened civic engagement by bringing together students, faculty and communities in sustained and mutually beneficial partnerships. Our class is engaging with APPLES through our board game making which will serve as an educational tool to fight against climate change.
UNC Clean Tech Summit:
The UNC Clean Tech Summit is a yearly event hosted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that offers a platform for students, faculty, and staff to engage in meaningful conversations about clean technology and its potential to create a more sustainable world. Attendees have the opportunity to learn from experts and innovators in the field and gain insight into the latest research and development in the clean energy sector. The summit is an excellent way for students to expand their knowledge of clean technology and become more informed about the transition to a greener future. In the Spring of 2023, UNC students were invited to present climate-resilient strategies to fellow students, faculty, and Clean Tech business owners by explaining Climatopia™.
Kidzu Children’s Museum:
Kidzu Children’s Museum is an interactive children’s museum located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Kidzu offers educational activities and exhibits designed to inspire children to explore the world around them. In the Spring of 2023, a group of UNC Chapel Hill students had the opportunity to teach younger kids about climate resilience through the Climatopia™ game.