Designer. Engineer. Explorer.
During my undergraduate, while reflecting on an application for a cross-disciplinary fellowship, I tried to reconcile how I could find myself so equally interested in science and the arts, two seemingly competing disciplines. But what I ultimately realized was that they both satisfied my innate desire to explore. As science is the quest to understand the natural world around us, art is similar in its attempts to explore internally and understand the complexity of the human experience. What bound me to both of them was a insatiable curiosity and desire to explore.
Below you will find a selection of my past work that I think captures my capabilities, motivations, and interests, curated specifically for this program. The projects shown below certainly are not comprehensive, so please feel to poke around the rest of my portfolio if this doesn’t seem to scratch your itch, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Click on the images below to view the details of each project.
[Process]
Over the past 5+ years as a product designer, I have developed much of my own process, but I am constantly trying to learn and re-evaluate the way that I look at my work and the world that surrounds it. If you’re interested in reading a bit more about my strengths as product designer, follow the link below.
PROFESSIONAL //
For the past 5 years, I have been working at a product design firm currently located in San Francisco. We are a full service consultancy that helps our clients innovation across the full spectrum of the design and development process. The portfolio is predominantly medical devices, but we employ a user-centered design process that ports across disciplines and industries. Though most of my work is still confidential, here are a few case studies to give you an overview of the work I have been doing.
[Thrombectomy Device] Making Blood Clot Removal Safer…
One of the larger concerns during a thromectomy case is blood loss, as you are essentially just pulling blood right out of the body. One of my clients at Design Concepts pitched us on a idea they thought could work to reduce the amount of blood being removed from the body and using data from our simulated procedures, and input from surgeons, we built a device to reduce the risk of blood loss while removing clots.
[Anti Fogging Research] Reducing lens fog for endoscopic procedures…
During endoscopic surgical procedures, surgeons tend to have issues with their cameras becoming obscured by various different conditions. After initially exploring this problem and conceptualizing solutions, we realized that we didn't know enough about the root cause of this issue and pivoted the project into a more scientific exploration of what is really causing the problems. We were then able to use these result to create a better, more informed solution.
[Waterwyzer] Smart device for smarter water usage…
During the 2017 drought in California, there has been much more awareness to water usage than in past years. One of the largest sources for water waste in the home is at the kitchen sink, washing dishes. We built a smart, connected device to help people minimize their water usage during this daily task.
[Designing a Better Mosquito Coil]
Based on the results of some ethnographic research, our client believed that there was an opportunity with their insect repellents to improve utility and minimize waste for their customers in the developing world. Focusing on making the dosing more modular and reducing possibility of wasted components, we conceptualized and prototyped a wide range of innovative repackaging options.
UNDERGRADUATE //
This section highlights a handful of the projects that I worked on during my undergraduate. I found hands on projects to be a great outlet for learning and refining my skills as an engineer outside of the classroom.
[The Hangbot] Machine for making drawings with a single line…
I created a hanging wall plotter that could be suction cupped to any smooth hard surface and used to draw vector art and render images anywhere. The simple, elegant design was not just precise but eye catching as it slowly revealed an image before your eyes.
[PureWater Trike] Tricycles for pumping and transporting water…
I developed a tricycle adapter, constructed from recycled bicycles, that pumped, filtered and transported water to aid remotely located people who need to gather water on a daily basis.
PERSONAL //
[Olfactory Alarm Clock] Conducting Olfactory experiments on my coworkers…
With recent construction outside my apartment, I was curious if I could use olfactory stimuli to wake me up so I could wear ear plugs at night. I then became curious about how I might use the power of scent to influence my behavior during other parts of the day…or the behavior of my coworkers…
[Syringe Printer] 3D Printing with BBQ Sauce…
What started as the shell of an old 3D printer soon became a series of other CNC machines. I rebuild this machine into a syringe based 3D printer, then into a FDM, and ultimately, into a PCB mill that allow me to quickly prototype simple circuits.
[Campsite Alert] Snagging Yosemite Campsites with Code…
With the high demand for campsites in Yosemite Valley, accessing some of the best rock climbing in the world can be difficult to come by. People cancel all the time but their reservations are almost always picked up immediately. But with a custom bit of code to monitor the availability and alert me when an opening appears, I have never been left without a campsite in Yosemite again.
JUST FUN //
Here are a couple projects that are strictly just for fun. In the past couple years I have begun experimenting with video documentation as a creative outlet. This couples well with my ever growing quest for new adventures that marry multiple of my interests.
[Hasta Shasta] Sea to summit with my skis on a bike…
7 days. 350 miles. 14,179 feet. With a custom rack to strap my skis to my bike, I rode from San Francisco to Mount Shasta to ski the 14er.
[Der Bus Does America] Fulfilling my inner hippie dreams…
With the goal of driving my 1975 VW Bus until she died somewhere in the middle of the country and climbing as many rocks as we could along the way, we left Boston to complete our dirtbag, hippie pilgrimage with sights set on San Francisco.