Leading faculty and the next generation of designers to think in life-systems, regenerative design, and multi-sensory experiences.

I was awarded the 2026-27 AICAD PALS Grant, for writing a new education model, “Circular Futures by Design.” I will publish a circular industrial design curriculum that prepares students to design across human, planetary, and technological systems. The circular industrial design curriculum aligns with STEM and CIP Code 11.0105, Human Centered Technology Design, for industrial design education.

This work grew out of three years of detailed research and interviews with industry leaders, technology organizations, faculty and students to align design education with industry needs. I prototyped this new curriculum by integrating a new Course Learning Outcomes, by including a circular design principles, life-centered systems, material craft, professional practice, and emerging AI tools. The curriculum includes four upper level Thesis CoLAB studios that connect advanced students with sponsored research and product design projects relevant to Silicon Valley companies.

My goal is to share this circular design framework so it can support education systems that evolve with industry, climate responsibility, and emerging technologies.

At California College of the Arts, I led the transformation of the Industrial Design BFA program, introducing circular design, life centered systems, material craft, creative technologies, and emerging AI tools into the core of the studio experience. I created CoLAB studios to bring industry directly into the classroom through sponsored design challenges and research collaborations. Partners such as Zoox joined students in exploring real world design problems and future technologies. Alongside teaching thesis studios, I developed mentorship and career programs connecting students with practicing designers and studios. Much of the work focused on guiding change across faculty and building a collaborative culture that reflects how design is practiced today.
As CCA enters a new chapter with Vanderbilt University, I believe its legacy of craft, experimentation, and forward thinking design will continue to evolve. Visit CCA here.

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