Arizona State University Professor Uses Holiday Lights to Teach Creativity and Sustainability

In December, the home of Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business professor Kevin Dooley becomes a living laboratory. By turning a family holiday display into a series of light‑painting experiments, Dooley demonstrates how creativity and sustainability can coexist in everyday settings. The approach offers actionable lessons for students, educators, and business professionals looking to embed innovation and responsible practices into their own work.

Integrating Holiday Lights into Creative Learning

Dooley’s method starts with a simple idea: use the familiar glow of Christmas lights as a visual canvas. By moving a camera during long exposures, he creates swirling patterns that reveal the underlying dynamics of motion and color. The process mirrors the iterative nature of design thinking—experiment, observe, refine.

• Experimentation is key. Try different exposure times (0.5–5 seconds) and camera movements to see how patterns evolve.
• Document the process. Keep a log of settings and outcomes; this data becomes a valuable teaching tool.
• Invite collaboration. Encourage classmates or colleagues to contribute ideas for light arrangements or camera techniques.

Want to explore how light can spark creativity in your own projects? Explore Arizona State University’s sustainability programs and discover resources that support creative experimentation.

Sustainability Lessons from Festive Displays

While the aesthetic appeal of incandescent bulbs is undeniable, Dooley balances artistic preference with environmental impact. He compares LED efficiency with the richer tones of older bulbs, illustrating the trade‑offs businesses face when choosing between cost, performance, and sustainability.

• Lifecycle thinking. Evaluate the full life cycle of a product—from manufacturing to disposal—to make informed decisions.
• Reusability. Reusing artificial trees for multiple seasons can reduce waste, but local sourcing and recycling of real trees also offer benefits.
• Energy management. Use smart timers or dimmers to reduce consumption without sacrificing visual impact.

Ready to apply these principles to your organization? Submit your application today to join a community that values responsible innovation.

Applying Chaos Theory to Business Innovation

Dooley’s background in dynamic systems informs his creative practice. He treats the holiday lights as a chaotic system where small changes produce unpredictable yet meaningful patterns. This perspective translates directly to supply‑chain management and product development, where uncertainty is a constant.

• Embrace uncertainty. View unexpected results as opportunities for learning rather than failures.
• Iterative testing. Run small pilots, gather data, and adjust strategies in real time.
• Cross‑disciplinary insights. Combine quantitative analysis with qualitative observation to uncover hidden patterns.

Curious about how chaos theory can drive innovation in your field? Schedule a free consultation to learn more with ASU experts.

Sharing Light Art for Wider Impact

Dooley’s photographs are released under a Creative Commons license, allowing anyone to use them with credit. This openness reflects a broader academic philosophy: knowledge advances when it is shared. By publishing his work on platforms like Flickr, he invites a global audience to engage with the intersection of art, science, and sustainability.

• Open licensing. Consider releasing your own research or creative outputs under permissive licenses.
• Community engagement. Use social media or academic forums to spark discussions and gather feedback.
• Collaborative projects. Partner with artists, engineers, or environmentalists to create interdisciplinary solutions.

Looking for more stories that blend creativity with sustainability? Explore our related articles for further reading and stay inspired.

Take Action: How You Can Apply These Insights

Whether you’re a student, a faculty member, or a business leader, the lessons from Dooley’s holiday lights can be adapted to your context:

• Design a small-scale experiment that uses everyday objects to illustrate complex concepts.
• Integrate lifecycle assessments into product development cycles.
• Encourage a culture of experimentation where “happy accidents” are celebrated.
• Share your findings openly to contribute to collective learning.

Have questions or want to share your own creative experiments? Write to us! Your insights help shape the next generation of responsible innovators.