With an open mind to old and new,familiar and unfamiliar,I approach every designwith respect.

Architectural ModelPersonal Residence in Palm SpringsFabricated at Graphic Blade Studio in San Francisco, CA.

Architectural ModelRock Climbing ExhibitA student project at San Francisco State University.

Theatrical PuppetsThe Composer is Dead, by Lemony Snicket Fabricated at and for the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Designed by Phantom Limb and directed by Tony Taccone.** Photos of the finished product are prohibited, these are the final shots allowed for publication.

Christmas InstallationsBottom: JW Marriot HotelCenter and Right: Crocker Galleria Shopping Center

* Christmas decor was installed by After Science

Easter InstallationEaster decor was installed by After Science at Stonestown Galleria Shopping Center

Furniture Design Bedside Table: Design ProcessChallenge: Design a bedside table that can be made primarily out of plywood.

Function vs. Form Inspiration

Form Study

Ideation

Thick side drawer

Round corners

Straight side

Round corners

Contouredcorner

Thick side drawer

Straight sideStraight side

Squarecorners

Thin side drawer

Square corners

ContouredSide

Thin side drawer

Hidden DrawerSide Drawer

Color Study

Experience DesignSoLED CurriculumSoLED is a design innovation experience. It fuses creativity, technology, play, renewable energy and sustainable materials into the creation of a lighting system.*

Audience 35 14-18 year old’s at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School, located in San Francisco, CA.

Objectives • Teach the design process• Teach critical thinking• Build self esteem• Create awareness of sustainability/renewable energy• Have each student design and build a SoLED lamp * SoLED was developed by and for the Industrial Design

Outreach (iDo) organization.

SoLEDSoLED is both a product and a curriculum. The product is a kit of parts that assemble to create a design-it-yourself lighting unit. The curriculum uses the SoLED kit to teach students about design and sustainability while building their critical thinking skills and self-esteem.

Team 1 Research Lead3 Researchers

My Role:Researcher

Time Frame:4 months

Team 2Curriculum LeadProduct LeadCurriculum Developer1 High School Mentor

My Role:Director of Curriculum Development

Time Frame:2 months

Team 3Curriculum Lead31 Mentors1 High School Teacher

My Role:Director of Curriculum Development

Time Frame:3.5 months

What I didI created a team of people that had knowledge I didn’t posses and reviewed previous successful curriculums.

What we didWe worked together to design a curriculum around the SoLED product.

ResearchWe performed qualitative research and formed casual focus groups.

TensionsFreedom to create vs. set direction

BrainstormAfter sitting down and discussing the findings from our research, we decided that more direction was necessary to effectively learn the product and incorporated room for freedom for students that excelled.

PrototypingFuture high school mentors were encouraged to take the product home for testing and to show us what was capable with this kit of parts. This not only assisted the product team, but helped the curriculum team to gauge what would be possible in the classroom.

ImplementationThe curriculum was delivered to 35 high school students. Their ages varied from 14-18 and their level of learning ranged form special education students to advance.

ChallengesTwo weeks prior to entering the classroom we were told that there would be 11 more students than expected. In addition, the classroom only had 15 chairs for the entire semester. We faced these challenges and had each student complete the project.

Final InsightsThis project was successful, but both the product and curriculum need to undergo a few more revisions. Most importantly, from watching the students work with something I helped to create, I learned that any subject matter chosen to be taught to another person or group is really a vehicle to building self-esteem.

RefinementWe took the curriculum and adapted it to a schedule, trained mentors on how to use the product, and received approval from all stakeholders involved up to this point.

What we didWe collectively read over 50 articles and collected data about how creativity is taught and learned.

What we learnedWe learned different design methodologies as well as different traits and skills associated with creativity.

OutputAfter 4 months I was recruited to develop a curriculum for the SoLED product. The research team continued on to publish a book about our findings.

Method:

Refine Implement

Research

Brainstorm

Prototype