The objects used in airport security lines aren’t meant to be used in airports, which leads to frustrated travelers.

Harvey Molotch, professor of sociology and metropolitan studies at New York University, said he knows how to alleviate these problems.

Molotch will speak on campus at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union to discuss the importance of the design of objects dealt with in society.

He will use the airport security process and the objects involved as an example to highlight his main argument on what the design of objects should be.

“My basic argument is that a correctly designed object has to perform a particular function, but also must create pleasure and make people feel good,” Molotch said.

Molotch said the design of the objects used in the process of airport security does not meet this ideal.

“I think people are tense and nervous [while going through airport security], and this encourages them to make mistakes,” Molotch said.

He said this nervousness is created in part because of the improper design of things like the trays people put their coins and other metallic objects into, heavy suitcases lugged around by travelers and the trays coats and bags are put into.

“The thing we put our coins into is actually a plastic dish made for use in schools and picnics, and the overcoats and laptops are put into trays meant for busing dishes in restaurants,” Molotch said.

Molotch said these containers are not being made for their specific purpose, which leads to dropped coins, trouble with luggage and a general inconvenience for those who wait through security at airports.

“Things that hold coins should have a funnel,” Molotch said. “What you must also do is create a crack design team to come in and rethink the whole thing [design of airport security process].”

Molotch also recommends helpers be assigned to assist with lifting luggage and other things, which would enable the security workers to have a more direct understanding of what is going on around them.

“[Helpers] would help them learn about what’s going on. It would cut down on the distant way that security is carried out, which lessons security rather than helping it,” Molotch said.

Molotch said these design flaws in airport security may present a much larger problem than inconvenience. Lines being held up, objects falling and people’s anxiety all lead to distractions from the main duty the security workers have of protecting the travelers.

Heather Sauer, communications specialist for the Institute for Design Research and Outreach, said Molotch’s lecture will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the College of Design, but will also carry out many other functions.

“For the last year, we’ve had different speakers come in to discuss different monthly themes. The theme for February is design innovation, and we are bringing in speakers who can comment on product design and innovation from different backgrounds,” Sauer said.

Sauer said the Molotch lecture is also being done in conjunction with the Colleges of Business and Engineering.

“We are looking into the creation of a product design or industrial design major,” Sauer said. “We are in the earliest stages of exploration to see if it is feasible.”