I have a 197 million square mile workshop, classroom, and plaground.

I’m an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Olin College. Previously, I completed my PhD., S.M., and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at MIT.

My mission is to build communities that celebrate engineering design and the people involved in that process.

Through research and design, I bring advanced technology to the general population. I do this by cultivating interdisciplinary, international teams and by exercising my own design skills to address global challenges. For example, for my Ph.D., I designed a solar-powered, water-saving precision irrigation tool and human-machine interaction for farmers in Kenya, Jordan, and Morocco. My research efforts also highlight the role of engineering designers in the design process and elucidate best practices for design teams. Through teaching, I create innovative learning experiences that build communities of students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Topics that excite me include:

  • Human-machine interaction

  • Engineering design processes

  • Human-centered product design

  • Environmental sustainability

  • Engineering design team collaboration

  • Prototyping and fabrication

  • STEM communication

  • Experience design

  • Engineering & design education

This site includes a collection of my research, teaching, and design work

Please see my CV for all of my professional activities and Google Scholar for the most recent publications. Send me an email if you’d like to connect.

(P.S. 197 million square miles is the surface area of the Earth)

(P.P.S. To advertise a Plushie Design Workshop I lead each year in MIT’s Toy Product Design course, I built a 3-foot tall plushie bandsaw!)