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Amanda chose EDI because of the collaborative and intimate nature of the cohort, the sense of shared purpose in the community, and the ample opportunity for cross-disciplinary, interactive applied learning. Beyond her areas of expertise, Amanda aspires to become a T-shaped designer with a breadth of skills to engage with any undefined problem that people face.
Experience before EDI: BA, Economics & Psychology, Middlebury College. Data Analysis & Insights Analyst, Fidelity Investments; Service Design and Delivery Analyst - Digital Workplace, Fidelity Investments.
Corinne is passionate about accessible design and making all products and services within reach for each person. Design is a field that should provide opportunity for people to better interact with their surroundings.
Experience before EDI: BS, Engineering, James Madison University.
Maria decided to pursue EDI to expand her capability to solve problems using a human and planet centered design approach. She wants to gain knowledge in order to support business to create sustainable solutions that will positively impact people's lives.
Experience before EDI: BS, Manufacturing Engineering, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Sales for Public Sector at Oracle; Product Design at Wildlife Studios.
With a background in industrial design, Hanzhang has constantly worked on design projects that solve existing social issues related to healthcare, water sanitation, and sustainability. He aspires to deploy systematic designs to achieve social benefits. To Hanzhang, EDI provides him with a platform to freely experiment with innovations that enhances interactions between individuals. The program's focus aligns with his goal of using intuitive designs to deploy innovations to the public.
Experience before EDI: BFA, Industrial Design, Rhode Island School of Design.
Ana's love for EDI was sparked by its mission of ethical creation and is fueled by her desire to make an impact designing and redesigning everything from the tangible to the impossible.
Experience before EDI: BS, Applied Mathematics & BA, French and Francophone Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Design Engineer I, Redbud Labs.
For the past six years, Erik has been designing innovative defense structures for the Department of Defense. He quickly learned however that a product can accomplish the intended design purpose but not be user friendly, ultimately leading to a confusing and complex consumer experience. Through EDI, Erik hopes to redirect his design abilities to create groundbreaking technologies that provide a positive consumer experience.
Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, Brigham Young University - Idaho.
Yaritza chose EDI for its focus on human-centered design practices. While focusing on the intersection of design and social impact, she hopes to utilize her skills to design more inclusive experiences for users.
Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University. Hardware Product Development Intern, Google.
Yilin appreciates the small and diverse cohort in EDI where he can work with people with different backgrounds in a studio setting. He does not want to limit himself to designing behind the computer screen. Yilin hopes to expand his area of expertise by gaining hand-on experience on different formats of design, such as product and service design, and physical interactions in order to develop a comprehensive toolkit of methodologies that will advance his design thinking and design processes.
Experience before EDI: BS, Informatics, University of Washington.
The reason Sean chose EDI was because he really likes the academic diversity and flexibility of the curriculum in regards to design. Sean believes that EDI will enable him to further develop his design practice and collaborative skill, while also enrolling in technical mechanical engineering courses.
Experience before EDI: SAIC Art and Technology.
Darya sees EDI as an opportunity to further her interest in human interaction and learn how to create products and experiences that engage and inspire alongside designers of diverse backgrounds.
Experience before EDI: BS, Neuroscience & BS, Journalism, Northwestern University.
Palka's interest in human-centered design stems from the fact that it allows her to combine her technical and artistic inclinations with her fascination for studying human behavior. She chose EDI as it places significant emphasis on team collaboration within a project-based curriculum, while also fostering individual growth.
Experience before EDI: BTech, Computer Engineering. DJSCE. Product Design Intern, CryptoSensei; Frontend and Design Mentor, DJ Unicode.
Tracy chose EDI for its multi-disciplinary approach to design. With a background in experience design and engineering, she wanted to combine the two and continue exploring new ways to design.
Experience before EDI: BS, Product Design Engineering, Stanford University. Product Design Intern, Affirm; Product Design Intern at Rematter.
Madeline decided to pursue EDI to further her knowledge and interest in product design, design engineering, and inclusive design. She is interested in a well rounded education that explores a plethora of design practices.
Experience before EDI: BFA, Industrial Design, STEM certified, Certificate in Innovation, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign.
Emerson was drawn to EDI because she saw it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with dynamic people that believe that they can tackle challenges and build solutions to positively improve the quality of people’s everyday lives.
Experience before EDI: BS, Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Monica’s purpose to improve people’s lives is what continues to spark her curiosity to tackle complex problems in the healthcare industry through a human-centered design. She decided to join EDI to be able to test her ideas in a diverse environment, broaden her leadership skills and expand her toolbox to navigate the challenges and uncertainty that accompanies true innovation.
Experience before EDI: BS, Industrial Engineering with minor in Systems, Instituto Técnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM-Mexico City). Management Consulting Manager, Novartis.
Patrick believes that by pursuing the field of human centred design he will gain a holistic understanding on product development cycles. He choose EDI since it would allow him to gain this understanding whilst having enough space to focus on other subjects such as sustainability.
Experience before EDI: BS Liberal Arts & Sciences, Major in Psychology and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University College. Lead UI/UX Designer, Bits of Stock B.V. Junior UI/UX Designer, 3V Agency Srl.
Sounak has a penchant for creating human-centered solutions and interactions for complex problems in society by applying the lens of Design-Thinking. He believes that the rich potential of technology needs to be made accessible to everyone in order to make the world a better place.
Experience before EDI: B.Tech, Computer Science and Design Engineer, IIIT-Delhi. Lead User Experience Designer, Rang De P2P Financial Services; Interaction Design Intern, Digital Product School.
Though industrial design, graphic design, and fine arts may seem distinct, this human-centered mindset allows Hannah to hand-pick skills from each discipline to employ in a broader framework. She is excited to study and continue to develop this methodology in the EDI program, particularly in the studio courses prioritizing human-centered design and approaches to more ambiguous design challenges.
Experience before EDI: BA, Communication, Industrial Design, & Fine Arts, Northwestern University. Graphic Designer, Q-State Biosciences.
Samantha possesses a strong foundation in the field of design; her decision to join the EDI program was significantly influenced by its unwavering commitment to human-centered design principles. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she engaged in coursework centered on entrepreneurial product design, which broadened her perspective and unveiled a domain of design that caters to people’s desires, the business world, and the aspiration to construct more inclusive environments while enhancing accessibility. Samantha aspires to reshape our surroundings into ones that prioritize safety, convenience, and the enrichment of the human experience.
Experience before EDI: BA, Art, University of California, Santa Barbara. Graphic Design Intern, PAWS Chicago.
Lucas chose EDI to provide a human centered direction to the technical skills he has developed while pursuing his undergraduate engineering degree. He believes that product design gives a purpose to engineering that can directly improve the lives of people everywhere.
Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin Madison. New Product Development Engineer, Fiskars Design; Engineer, Hinchey Design Co.
Noble decided to continue his studies through Northwestern's EDI program because he believes that this program is uniquely built to help him pursue is goals of becoming an engineering consultant. During his undergraduate years at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Noble majored in Engineering Design and through this program he was introduced to human-centered design. EDI's focus on the human-centered design process really drew Noble into the program.
Experience before EDI: BS, Engineering Design, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Engineering Intern, Catalyst Product Development Group; Engineering Intern, Rose-Hulman Ventures; Engineering Intern, NTN Driveshaft.
Taylor's passion for innovation began at the age of 16 when her father had his leg amputated and replaced with a prosthesis. For a while, her goal was to go into prosthetics and orthotics so that she could continue the ingenious work others had done before her. However, as time passed, Taylor wondered if limiting herself to one design field was what she wanted. While she still wants to help people and create technological art like her father's prosthesis, Taylor decided to pursue EDI because it offers a more exploratory approach to the possibilities of design work.
Experience before EDI: BS, Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia.
Karen hopes to become a designer who can foster communities in the physical space, digital space and in-between. She believes the EDI program will open opportunities for her where she can focus on those pursuits and learn to communicate from devices to people to spaces. The EDI program stood out because of its breadth across multiple disciplines and the structure that allows students to choose what they would like to focus on. She is excited to be surrounded by likeminded individuals who can push her to her full creative potential.
Experience before EDI: BS, Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology.
mayed chose EDI because he is really excited to be part of a diverse cohort of aspiring designers that are committed to advancing human-centered practices. mayed seeks to harness the potential of transdisciplinary and intersectional work that draws from multiple disciplines and explore what possibilities emerge.
Experience before EDI: BS, Liberatory Design Engineering & BS, Communication Studies, Northwestern University. Intern & Consultant, The Institute for Anti-Racist Education; Design Research Intern, Kinetic Seeds.
Sue chose EDI because she wants to develop her technological skills and make people's lives more convenient by creating products that better reflect a wide range of needs. Her value as an artist/designer is to blend art into our everyday life and aid people's lives through technological advancement and visual improvement.
Experience before EDI: BFA, Painting and minor in BARCH, Morphology, Pratt Institute. Robotics Lab Monitor and Researcher, Consortium for Research and Robotics, Brooklyn Navy Yard, NY, USA.
Kaustubh was drawn towards the EDI program because of its focus on real-world problem solving, broad applicability, and opportunities for learning about design in all its facets. He would like to be able to explore a variety of design fields and specialize in physical products. While studying and working as an engineer he's focused on users' needs and would like to explore that further in the context of human-centered design. The curation of the ideal product or experience for a customer is a fascinating experience and Kaustubh wishes to hone these skills within EDI as a future leader in multi-disciplinary product development.
Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin. Manufacturing Mechanical Engineer, Nano-Master Inc, Semiconductor Devices; Mechanical Project Engineer, Dynetics, Space Division.
Alexandra is exceptionally curious about how design shapes people's view of the world. Through EDI, she aspires to learn what makes a design truly impactful through human-centered research and design. Alexandra aims to leverage her creative and analytical skills to develop innovative solutions.
Experience before EDI: BS, Cognitive Science, Computer Science Specialty, UCLA.
Jingdian has always been passionate about car designs. As he started his journey in Artcenter, he grew into interior design where he first was exposed to the idea of human-centered design. Gradually, he realized styling and forms could not fulfill his philosophy of revolutionized interior space and interaction. Thus, with all these experiences, he was led into interaction design, not limited to cars, and this particular program.
Experience before EDI: BS, Transportation Design, Artcenter College of Design. Design Engineer Intern, Beijing Benz Automotive Corporation; Automotive Design Intern, Arch Motorcycle; Modeler Intern, Ford Motor Company; and Design Intern, IAT (China) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd.
Lindsay chose the EDI program because of its flexibility to deep-dive into areas of interest, allowing her to specialize in medical device design. She is excited to develop skills in rapid prototyping and user needs research. Lindsay's interest in human-centered design stemmed from her realization that many products fail to consider the user's full situation -- often creating new problems after solving another.
Experience before EDI: BS, Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University. Research & Development Co-Op, Hollister Incorporated.
Mikayla chose EDI in order to concentrate on human-centered design. She wants to explore a variety of disciplines in this program. She aspires to use what she has learned in visual communication and filmmaking to tell better stories and create better products in human-computer interaction, especially in the fields of health and UI/UX.
Experience before EDI: BFA, Visual Communication Design, School of the Art Institute of Chicago; UI/UX Intern, Children and Screens.
Abiola Makinde, EDI '25
Design Engineering, Design Research, Healthcare, Integrated Product Service Systems
As a research based designer, Abiola is familiar with the importance of project collaborators and the value that is added when different perspectives/approaches converge. Abiola decided to pursue a study in Design Engineering because she wanted to reinforce her Industrial Design knowledge and making practices with more technical yet creative forms of thinking. Being that Abiola is keen on physically expressing her interest in healthcare innovation, the EDI program will allow her to pursue research based opportunities that will heighten and root her human-centered design process.
Experience before EDI: BFA, Industrial Design, Rhode Island School of Design; Fulbright-Nehru, Healthcare Design Research Fellow; Lam Research, Process Analyst Intern.
Macie Mancini, EDI '24
Industrial Design, Product Experience and Interaction, Human-Centered Design
Macie chose EDI because the structure and course selection fit her needs as an equally creative and analytical person. Macie loves the aspect of engineering that involves the fabrication of a physical product, and she finds that she further enjoys more creative activities like knitting, woodworking, and graphic design.
Experience before EDI: BA, Plants and Human Health, University of Connecticut, Project Manager, The Ditty Bag; Ambassador, Symmetry Trailers.
Ada chose EDI because of its focus on human centered design and innovation, paired with opportunities to engage in solving complex, real world problems.
Experience before EDI: BS, Neuroscience, College of William & Mary. Assistant Sensory Scientist, MMR Research; Public Health Consultant, Crystal Hills FZE.
Kallie saw in EDI the opportunity to strengthen her curiosity and to learn how to apply that curiosity to better champion the people, places, and well-being of our world.
Experience before EDI: BS, Materials Science & Engineering, NC State University. Research Engineer - Solutions Development, Saint-Gobain/CertainTeed.
Ritika chose EDI because of its human-centered approach to design and hopes to strengthen her technical skills in engineering design and grow further as a designer. The program’s interdisciplinary focus on research, iterative design, and hands-on product design presents her with an understanding of a variety of processes. Ritika looks forward to working with the diverse cohort, incredible faculty, and being a part of the supportive community at EDI.
Experience before EDI: Education: BFA, Fashion Design, Parsons School of Design Experience. Assistant Designer, Sabyasachi Couture; Creative Assistant, Bodice Studio; R&D Intern, Alexander Wang; Design Intern, Proenza Schouler; and Design and Production Intern, Bibhu Mohapatra.
Brittany decided to pursue EDI because she believes that it disrupts the notion that engineering can only operate in one lane and cater only to certain specified industries. Architectural concepts have inspired Brittany to pursue the field of design. She believes that great design surpasses aesthetics to positively shape both people and culture. Brittany chose EDI because of its challenge to not only see design as a tool, but a responsibility to people and society. She also chose EDI because it would allow her to connect with like-minded individuals in the pursuit of innovation.
Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University. Sales Engineering Intern, Trane Technologies; Research Engineer, The University of Alabama in Huntsville.
David decided to pursue design and innovation because he was drawn to the environment where thinking outside of the box and problem-solving was critical.
Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester. Building Systems Design Engineer, AMA Consulting Engineers; and Product Design Intern, A2Z Design.
Ashley chose EDI to further develop her technical design skills and explore various design areas of interest. Her undergraduate experience at Northwestern introduced her to the potential that human-centered design holds. Her passion for industrial design pushed her to further her education to become a more well-rounded designer.
Experience before EDI: BA, Art Theory & Practice, and Segal Design Certificate, Northwestern University. Design Intern, The Homemore Project.
Audey wanted the next chapter in her life to be all about expanding her knowledge and fueling her curiosity. She was drawn to EDI because of the program's interdisciplinary focus with an emphasis on human-centered design. She believes the program's hands-on approach will allow her to be creative while broadening her technical skills. Audey is excited to solve real world problems with a cohort of like-minded and diverse group of people.
Experience before EDI: BA, Communications, University of Southern California. Packaging Design Engineer, Yuto USA; Packaging Design Engineer, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (Kendo).
Paige chose EDI because it's a creative, supportive space in which she can solve complex, real-world problems and develop both technical and human-centered design skills. She was drawn to EDI's multidisciplinary community of students with whom she can learn and grow, and looks forward to leveraging her background in learning sciences to build inclusive experiences.
Experience before EDI: BS, Learning Science, Northwestern University. Learning Experience Designer, Accenture.
Zhipeng is interested in product design and enjoys exploring the appearance and practicality of the products around him. Zhipeng's favorite product is the original iPod released by Apple in 2001. He was attracted by its compact appearance and the click wheel that switches songs with the slide of the finger. Zhipeng understands from this product that a good designer must understand the users' need. The curriculum of EDI is very much in line with Zhipeng's pursuit of human-centered design.
Experience before EDI: BFA, Graphic Design, Boston University.
Tony not only resonates with EDI's mission of teaching human-centered design to a vastly diverse student body but is also drawn to the highly flexible curriculum and studio culture. He believes that EDI can help him gain insights into different product-related fields and coordinates various resources to create products that can be appreciated by designers, understood by engineers, and loved by users.
Experience before EDI: BA, Economics, UCLA. Co-Founder, Kudos; Product Design Intern, System1; Partnership, Sony Electronics.
Sherry decided to join EDI because the hands-on projects and comprehensive curriculum allow her to put theories into practice. During her time at EDI, Sherry aspires to weave human factors and psychology into product design to create human-centered solutions.
Experience before EDI: BFA, Industrial Design & BS, Intradisciplinary Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
ShaoBo sees EDI as an opportunity to further understand where he stands in the world of technology. During his time at EDI, he seeks to further explore different fields in design and computer science as well as take time to think about the specific roles and industry he is interested in within the field of technology.
Experience before EDI: BS, Human Computer Interaction, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University. Fellow, Interact.
