Engineering Design Innovationat the SEGAL DESIGN INSTITUTE, McCORMICK SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Max sees EDI as the place to bring curiosity, compassion, and sustainability together into a single design philosophy. Through EDI, he hopes to deepen his passion for user-centered design while joining a close-knit cohort of like-minded designers while moving closer to his goal of becoming a consumer product designer whose work is shaped by both empathy and technical skill.

Experience before EDI: BE, Engineering with focus in Sustainable Design, Dartmouth College; BA, Engineering Sciences modified with Environmental Science, Dartmouth College; Project Engineer at Seal Engineering; HVAC Product Design Intern at Wilspec Technologies, Inc.

Anna chose EDI because it builds on the type of design work she has discovered a passion for while encouraging her to explore new disciplines. Although her experience has primarily been in digital design through IT consulting, she is excited by the opportunity to learn about physical product design and human services design. She hopes the program will help her discover which areas of design she finds most fulfilling as she shapes her future career.

Experience before EDI: BS, Information Systems Analytics, Miami University; Business Analyst, CGI Inc.

Jerry decided to pursue EDI after diversifying his design background and experience in the automotive industry; he learned that meaningful innovation requires collaboration across disciplines. While designing vehicle experiences, he learned that successful human-centered products require close collaboration among designers, engineers, researchers, strategists, and business leaders. The EDI program offers the interdisciplinary environment Jerry is seeking to expand beyond his current design skill set, by learning alongside talented individuals from different disciplines, and strengthening his ability to communicate and collaborate across disciplines. Through EDI, Jerry hopes to become a more holistic product innovator who can connect design, engineering, and strategy.

Experience before EDI: BS, Interaction Design, ArtCenter College of Design; Internships:
Human Interface Designer, General Motors & Vehicle Product Manager, NIO.

What draws Owen to EDI is its studio sequence across product, interaction, and service design. Having grown up across Japan, China, and the U.S., Owen has long understood that good design bends to context and culture; through EDI he hopes to gain the rigor to turn that intuition into systems that meet a person with clarity, coherence, and dignity from the very first moment they encounter them.

Experience before EDI: BFA, Design & Technology, Parson School Of Design.

Shuhan's passion for human-centered design began with industrial design, but her professional experience revealed that meaningful innovation requires more than good design alone. Working across the product development process and collaborating with engineers sparked a deeper interest in engineering principles, systems thinking, and design within complex technical and business constraints. Northwestern's EDI program stood out because of its emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and the integration of engineering, design, and business. Through the EDI program, she hopes to strengthen the connection between design vision and technical understanding, preparing her to work across integrated physical and digital experiences for emerging technologies.

Experience before EDI: BS, Industrial Design, University of Cincinnati.

Rachel chose EDI because it bridges creativity and implementation. She is excited to learn how to turn human-centered ideas into real-world solutions by combining interdisciplinary thinking with design, engineering, and business. Ultimately, she hopes to create everyday experiences that are more thoughtful and equitable.

Experience before EDI: BS, Interactive Media Arts, New York University Shanghai.

For Bailey, design engineering begins where analytical thinking meets creative discovery. Rather than just processing numbers, her studies in abstract mathematics taught her to thrive in ambiguity, uncover hidden patterns, and give concrete shape to dense concepts.Throughout her career, she has worked closely with engineers, designers, and end users to bridge the gap between technical possibilities and real human needs.

She chose Northwestern's EDI program because it combines technical problem-solving with human-centered design. The program offers an opportunity to build on her experience in technology while developing products and services that create meaningful impact in people's lives.

Experience before EDI: BA, Mathematics, Northwestern University; Strategy Consultant, PwC Strategy&; Strategy & Operations, Etsy.

Julian came from an architecture background and was constantly absorbed in how he could make digital building tools better, along this process of discovery he realized an entire field (EDI) existed for this passion. He was then drawn to pursuing a masters at Northwestern in order to make real impact on the future of design tools and practices.

Experience before EDI: Bachelors in Architectural Design, University of Florida.

Steve often observes modern products marketed as “minimalistic”, “futuristic” and “modern”, when all they are are oversimplified and counterintuitive pieces of cheap plastic and glossy touchscreen. This makes him wonder: “how might we improve the human aspect of designs while maintaining its aesthetics?” This makes him interested in human centered design.

Experience before EDI: BFA, Industrial Design, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Sam's passion for human-centered design is the culmination of his experiences in the real world and in academic environments. He naturally notices problems and areas of improvement in his everyday surroundings, and enjoys finding ways to improve even the smallest of frustrations. He was drawn to EDI specifically for its combination of two traditionally distinct fields of study, its tight-knit community, and its emphasis on hands-on collaboration with real clients and companies.

Experience before EDI: BS, Creative Technology & Design (minor, Engineering Management; certificate, UX Design), University of Colorado Boulder; IS & UX Strategy Intern, Children's Wisconsin.

Sneha was drawn to EDI because of its interdisciplinary curriculum and tight-knit cohort. She looks forward to learning with peers from different academic and professional backgrounds and seeing how they approach design challenges. Through EDI, she hopes to build on her creative background while expanding her understanding of how design and engineering come together.

Experience before EDI: BA, Design Studies, San Jose State University; Product Design Intern at Meta and Sei Labs.

Whether is it the opportunity to specialize in Product Design, Design Research, and Social Impact or working alongside an interdisciplinary cohort of designers, the EDI program aligns perfectly with Yuji's mindset and career goals as a designer.

As a mechanical engineering student, the highly technical problem-space was one that aligned with Yuji's love for problem-solving. However, he was unhappy with one aspect: the “human-ness” of issues—consideration of communities in which the product will be used, the historical context surrounding problems, or the emotional impact on the users—often falling out of the scope of engineering design. After discovering the field of Human-Centered Design in his senior year, Yuji's path began to form a clearer path.

Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington.

Yucian is very much driven by the same values that make EDI so special: to think in tangential, innovative ways and to face challenges with grit, all while celebrating the humanistic beauty of our communities.

Experience before EDI: BA, Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley.; First Product Designer, BlackPrint Geo.

Drew's interest in the Engineering Design Innovation program grew from two experiences that happened at simultaneously during her undergraduate studies. While taking a course called Thinking for Transformation, she was introduced to human-centered design and challenged to think beyond technical solutions by considering the people affected by them. At the same time, she was conducting research in design-focused engineering labs, where she saw how creativity, research, and engineering could work together to solve complex problems.

These experiences helped Drew realize that her favorite part of engineering was not just analyzing problems, but understanding people, generating ideas, and creating solutions that improve everyday experiences. The Engineering Design Innovation program stood out because it combines the technical foundation of engineering with the human-centered approach to design that first sparked her interest. She hopes to build a career in design engineering and product development, helping bring innovative ideas from concept to reality.

Expreience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Wentao’s interest in human-centered design grew from his experiences at the intersection of business, technology, and people. Through his background in technology strategy and commercialization, he learned how products are shaped by market needs and technological possibilities. However, he realized that the most impactful innovations come from deeply understanding users and designing solutions around their real experiences.

Wentao chose EDI because it offers the interdisciplinary environment needed to bridge strategy, design, and engineering. Through EDI’s collaborative studio culture and hands-on approach, he hopes to strengthen his ability to transform ideas into meaningful products and create technology experiences that are intuitive, inclusive, and truly centered around people.

Experience before EDI: BA, Quantitative Economics, University of California, Irvine; Business Strategy Intern, ByteDance, Tencent, and Kuaishou.

Sophia chose EDI for its hands-on experience and close-knit community. She hopes to learn from people with different backgrounds, think more strategically, and become more intentional about the decisions she makes throughout the design process.

Experience before EDI: BS, Human Centered Design and Engineering, University of Washington.

Xiuyao believes that EDI program’s integration of design thinking, engineering methods, and product development provides the environment needed to bridge this gap and grow into a product designer capable of creating impactful, implementable solutions.

His interdisciplinary background in sociology and informatics shaped his approach to human-centered design, allowing him to understand problems through social contexts, human needs, and the role of technology in people's lives. As he began applying this perspective to real-world challenges, he became interested in how products and services could transform insights about people and society into meaningful solutions that improve their everyday experiences.

Experience before EDI: BA, Sociology, University of Washington, with a minor in Informatics.

Yeqing graduated from design school and he would like to explore more fields in industries that is corelated with design, like branding to help himself become a better group leader or product manager.  He is very aware of design ethics and thinks that human-centered design not only gives better user experience as results but also rebuilds our connection with society and nature.

Experience before EDI: Bachelor of Engineering, Industrial Designing, Southern University of Science and Technology; AR Glasses UX Designer Intern, RAYNEO Technology.

Blair chose EDI to build the technical side of her design practice. She is moving from product design toward interaction and human-centered design, with a focus on software products and digital tools. EDI's mix of design and engineering lets her turn ideas into working prototypes. She is also drawn to the program's diversity. Having studied in Italy and now moved to North America, Blair looks forward to working with people from different backgrounds and learning how they approach problems.

Experience before EDI: BS, Industrial Product Design, Politecnico di Milano.

Iris’s interest in human-centered design grew from her background in industrial and product design. Through past design projects, she began to realize that creating a functional product was only part of the challenge. Understanding how people perceive, use, and feel about a product can be just as important as its form or technical performance. This shift led her to become increasingly interested in user research, interaction design, and the broader experience surrounding a product.

She chose EDI because the program brings together design, engineering, research, and technology in a highly collaborative environment. She hopes to use this interdisciplinary approach to expand beyond traditional product design, strengthen her skills in human-centered research and UX, and explore how insights about people can be translated into both digital and physical experiences.

Experience before EDI: Bachelor’s Degree, Industrial Production Engineering, Politecnico di Milano
Bachelor of Engineering, Industrial Design, Xi’an Jiaotong University.

Aditya pursued human-centered design to move beyond data analytics and focus on the people behind the metrics. Drawn to EDI’s hands-on, experiential approach, he hopes to build meaningful products by directly engaging with users and applying his empathy to the design process.

Experience before EDI: MS, Biological Science, BITS PilaniBTech, Civil Engineering, BITS Pilani 

Morana was drawn to EDI for its focus on community, collaboration, and cross-disciplinary learning that bridges technical problem-solving with real human needs. She hopes to refine her design and engineering skills while becoming a more thoughtful, capable leader who drives meaningful, human-centered innovation.

Experience before EDI: BS, Engineering Science, Smith College

Tate saw EDI as an opportunity to combine his engineering background with his passion for human-centered design while learning alongside other professionals. Drawing on his experience in coffee product development, he hopes to deepen his understanding of the design process and collaborate with innovators shaping the future of thoughtful, user-focused design.

Experience before EDI: BS, Computer Engineering, University of Michigan

Danielle's interest in human-centered design grew from the intersection of psychology, entrepreneurship, and product design where she learned to create solutions that are emotionally intuitive, behaviorally grounded, and financially viable. She chose the EDI program because its interdisciplinary focus aligns with her passion for designing digital products that are empathetic, strategically sound, and built to thrive in the real world.

Ibrahima's decision to pursue EDI stems from his undergraduate experience, where he pursued the Segal Design Certificate at Northwestern University. Through various design classes and projects, he found himself both challenged and motivated to produce tangible results. The stimulating environment fueled his passion for design. The Ford building, equipped with all the necessary tools and resources, seems like the perfect place to cultivate his skills and pursue a career in product design. The balance between research, computer work, and hands-on building and iteration offered by the Northwestern EDI program resonates with his preferences, making it the ideal choice for him.

Experience before EDI: BS, Industrial Engineering, Northwestern University. OMS Intern at L’Oreal; Engineering Intern at LAM Research.

Sam chose to pursue the EDI program because it aligns with her passion for people and product creation. Having worked as a teacher, orientation leader, and improv comedy enthusiast, Sam has always been deeply connected to human interaction and communication. These experiences have fueled her interest in psychology and the potential to design products and services that benefit people and industries. Sam's current experience is very technical. She hopes to not only expand out into the design world but also take advantage of the flexible elective options by diving even deeper into other avenues of engineering she has yet to venture into.

Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineer, Northeastern University. Innovation Engineer at New Balance. 

One aspect that drew Johnny to the EDI program was the ability to choose areas of interest such as healthcare, consumer products, and physical product design. Through these specializations, coupled with the hands-on nature of the curriculum, Johnny believes that EDI will enable him to refine his technical skills, test his designs in real-life scenarios, and prepare him for the challenges of launching and managing a successful business in the competitive field of healthcare technology.

Experience before EDI: BS, Business Administration (Entrepreneurship and Innovation), University of Southern California. Associate Product Manager at HiLink.

Tiffany chose the EDI program due to the close-knit nature of the cohort and the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of hands-on experiences in human-centered design.

Experience before EDI: BFA, Illustration and minor in Graphic Design, Parsons School of Design.

Eva's goal is to bridge the gap between technology and design, crafting solutions that are both robust and user-friendly. She envisions a future where her work contributes to more seamless, accessible, and inclusive technologies. She believes that the best designs emerge from a genuine understanding of and connection with the people they serve.

Experience before EDI: BS, Interactive Design, James Madison University. Lead UI Designer and Founding Member at ElevraAI; Product Development Intern at BSI. 

Josh has built a strong base of skills in both engineering and design in his work as an engineering professional, startup product designer, and as a freelance graphic designer. At his core, the synthesis of a design and facilitation of this process is what Josh finds the most rewarding. He is excited for the opportunity to work on human-centered design challenges within the EDI course framework. Josh hopes to combine his engineering and design skills with the design research and project management skills he will learn through EDI, allowing him to break into roles which enable him to facilitate product development.

Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, BS, Creative Technology & Design, and Certificate in Engineering Leadership, University of Colorado. Mechanical Engineer at Boulder iQ and Boulder Sterilization; Product Engineer at MODL Outdoors.

Lauren chose to pursue human-centered design through the EDI program because of her passion for creating. Her favorite part about pursuing an undergraduate degree in engineering was working with others to discuss ideas, make prototypes, and experience those breakthrough moments on projects. Lauren aims to continue building on those experiences to learn more about human-centered design principles in action. The program’s studio culture provides hands-on challenges in the intensely collaborative environment that she thrives in.

Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh.

Rachel is driven to explore innovative and tangible approaches to human-technology interactions. At EDI, Rachel looks forward to further developing her technical skills and mastering all the tools in the Shop, collaborating and learning from the diverse cohort, and emerging as a T-shaped hybrid design practitioner.

Experience before EDI: BA, Data Science, University of California, Berkeley.

Jack chose to study EDI as a way to use his passion for engineering to drive positive change. By leading with interdisciplinary teams, Jack hopes to combine his formal skills with his many interests to create innovations that solve people’s biggest problems. Jack is also energized by human connection and will take any opportunity to meet new people and learn about their problems and aspirations. Jack believes that with EDI, this energizing activity is transformed into a career. By developing skills in design research, Jack is driven to be immersed in the problem focused spaces in order to build a truly empathetic design methodology.

Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, Marquette University. Mechanical Engineer at Brooks Stevens Inc.

Xinran realized from her previous experiences that more training in technology, specifically computer science, is essential. She believes that excellent, genuinely human-centered designs require a deeper understanding and adept application of technology, and the potential of technology is fully realized through elegant design. Through EDI, Xinran believes she can become a competent interaction designer, using her skills to create more inclusive experiences for users while focusing on the intersection of design and social impact.

Experience before EDI: BA, Psychology & BOD, Human-Computer Interaction, University of Washington.

Phoenix chose EDI because he believes that the program has a inclusive and welcoming culture that encourages people to pursue their passion, and has strong resources and professional connections. Phoenix has a particular passion in design and enjoys the process of addressing people's pain points and converting them into new design products. He believes joining the EDI can help him best achieve his goals and aspirations.

Experience before EDI: BFA, Industrial Design, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

There are many different voices that exist in the world who believe that some technologies and/or products are not designed for one to easily interact with. Ann aspires to curate designs to become more approachable, accessible, and convenient and was drawn to the EDI program due to its interdisciplinary nature and strong focus on the human element. Ann is excited to learn from others in her cohort and collaborate with them on various projects.

Experience before EDI: B.Arch, Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology with minors in Business Administration, Human-Computer Interaction, and Design for Learning, Carnegie Mellon University. Product Intern at Whisper Aero.

Susan decided to pursue the field of human-centered design because it seamlessly combines her passion for creativity with her desire to make a meaningful impact on people's lives. She chose the EDI program because of its strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and its holistic approach to design. The program's focus on combining engineering, design, and business perspectives aligns perfectly with Susan’s career goals. She is particularly excited about the opportunity to work on real-world projects and engage with industry leaders; she believes this will significantly enhance her skills and broaden her understanding of the impact of design.

Experience before EDI: BDes, Design with an additional major in Human-Computer Interaction, Carnegie Mellon University.

Riley felt that the EDI program wholeheartedly captured her spirit for design. She believes that the program’s human-centered approach differentiates it from other academic design programs, and truly inspires the next generation of design engineers. Riley was drawn to the program’s wide variety of human-centered design opportunities and the program felt like home the moment she learnt about it.

Riley’s previous experience designing airline seating and improving vehicle safety helped spark her love for creating for people. She is energized to expand her knowledge in design and make the world a better place one compassionate design decision at a time.

Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Engineering Design, Pennsylvania State University. Industrial Equipment Engineer at Parker LORD Corporation; NSF REU Student at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the Center for Injury Research and Prevention.

May chose to pursue EDI because it combines innovative problem-solving with human-centered design in a versatile way. During her undergraduate studies and work experience, she developed interests in designing for social impact and healthcare which rely on human-centered design to achieve meaningful results. She is excited about the EDI program as it merges her interests and allows her to enhance them through collaborative and hands-on learning.

Experience before EDI: BFA, Graphic Design, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. UX Designer at AbbVie.

In his evolution as a designer, Jack grew to recognize the potential of design beyond aesthetics. His exploration of Web and UX Design introduced him to the concept of human-centered design and its potential to address critical issues in technology. Jack decided to pursue EDI due to the interdisciplinary nature of the curriculum. He believes that learning from different perspectives will allow him to become a better communicator and designer. Jack is keen on learning more about entrepreneurship and healthcare innovation.

Experience before EDI: BS, Graphic Design, University at Buffalo. Design Intern at MoneyLion; Product Designer at 9 Earth LLC. 

Ramya chose the EDI program for its unique combination of design and engineering, which aligns perfectly with her passion for creating user-centric, inclusive solutions. She values EDI’s project-based learning and collaborative environment, where she can tackle real-world challenges alongside a diverse community. Influenced by her personal experiences, Ramya is committed to making design accessible and believes the EDI program will help her refine her skills and approach, empowering her to drive impactful, human-centered design.

Experience before EDI: BS, Computational Media, Georgia Institute of Technology. Human Interface Design Intern at Apple.

The EDI program’s strong emphasis on innovation and using design to make the world a better place resonates deeply with Z’s own values and aspirations; he is motivated to push the boundaries of traditional design practices. After completing 5 years of design studies and experiences, Z’s next step will be to deepen his skills in product design with a human-centered approach, while broadening his understanding of sustainability and entrepreneurship.

Experience before EDI: BS, Product Design, ArtCenter College of Design.

Krishna's previous experiences as a software engineer in tech, healthcare and e-commerce spaces showed him the significance of UX design and research. The EDI program was a natural choice for him because its interdisciplinary nature allowed him to complement his engineering background with design and entrepreneurship learning. The small cohort size, industry focus and application oriented curriculum further drew him to the program.

Experience before EDI: BS, Computer Science, Purdue University. Product Manager and Software Engineer at NectarOM.

Jimmia's interest in crafting digital experiences stems from her past experience working behind the scenes of theatrical productions in high school. In college, this love translated into an interest to learn more about the world of human-centered design; an internship at IBM later solidified her interest in a design research focused Ccreer. Jimmia's goal is to utilize the knowledge she obtains from EDI to further refine her skills in design research to help her continue crafting products that spark joy for others.

Experience before EDI: BS, Informatics & BSA, Human Ecology, University of Texas at Austin. UX Research Intern at IBM.

Hao's journey in design has been driven by a pursuit of innovative, user-centered solutions. Highlighting the importance of innovative design and user-centric methodologies, Hao is drawn to EDI's focus on developing T-shaped designers—those who excel in one area while exploring other domains.

Experience before EDI: BA, Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts, University of California, San Diego.

Siyu is drawn to EDI for its emphasis on human-centered design, which aligns with his experience and philosophy in industrial design. He values EDI's project-based learning experience and collaboration with companies, which allows him to solve problems in real-world scenarios. EDI's studio culture and focus on teamwork also appeal to him. Siyu looks forward to bringing his creativity to EDI.

Experience before EDI: BID, Industrial and Product Design, Pratt Institute. Next Business & Design Intern at American Honda Motor Company.

Having majored in mechanical engineering during his undergraduate studies, Sihan spent significant time on machine and software design. This experience sparked his interest in understanding how 'human-centered' principles should be integrated into all future designs. Sihan believes that studying a broad engineering discipline will provide a comprehensive understanding of the engineering industry. This holistic approach will enable him to excel not only as an engineer and designer but also as a manager, balancing technical expertise with leadership skills.

Experience before EDI: BS, Mechanical Engineering, Boston University.

After graduating and working as a full-time UX designer, Patrick realized there was a gap between his work and the impact he wanted to make. He's now actively seeking to refine his design scope in the areas of product design and user experience design to create the most social impact.

Experience before EDI: B.A. Communication Design, Washington University in St. Louis
(2nd Major: Supply Chain Management and Minor in East Asian Studies)