Class of 2022
Dara Benno
At the intersection of art and design, I create products and experiences that solve problems, have aesthetic appeal and reach users on an emotional level. My approach to design is holistic, paying specific attention to sustainable practice and materials, user health and wellness, and accessibility, in order to ensure that thoughtful design can be impactful and reach everyone.
dbenno@risd.edu
Megan Chao
Megan has studied multidisciplinary design at NTNU in Taiwan as an undergraduate, which enriches her skillset as a designer, including having various experiences in interior design, product design, package design and visual arts. She enjoys working on both hands-on projects and digital ones. Interested in 3d model design and making, she has developed good knowledge on using Rhino, Zbrush and Keyshot, and throughout the semester she has created multiple creations with these programs.
You can follow up with her previous work at https://meganchao21.wixsite.com/portfolio
tchao01@risd.edu
Jingxuan ‘Jenny’ Chen
With a background of Biology, Jingxuan is always curious about everything around her and seek the roots of problems she identifies. She is passionate about interdisciplinary product-service system design. She loves games and she hopes to add playful elements in her design.
jchen12@risd.edu
Ann Dinh
Ann is a designer with a background in architecture and graphic visualization. She is a creative individual that thrives on employing analytical thought with an artistic perspective.
adinh@risd.edu
Bingdong Duan
I majored in product design and comprehensive design. I believe everything has a strong connection. I have a hobby of collecting military gear and through that, I am interested in jewelry, appeal, and architect design and try to find the connection between different designs.
bduan@risd.edu
Lauren Glenn
With a background in mechanical engineering, Lauren is interested in understanding how old and new technologies can be implemented into society for the benefit of all.
www.laurenmikaelaglenn.com
lglenn@risd.edu
Charlie Herbozo-Vidal
Charlie grew up in Lima, Peru and comes from an engineering background. His research is focused on the relationship between culture and identity. Coming from a colonized space, he is intrigued in understanding how multicultural identities are built and translated; and the relationships that exist between cultural objects and individuality. He has a special interest for wood and shoes as part of Industrial Design. Outside of ID, he enjoys cooking, baking, eating… anything food really.
cherbozo@risd.edu
Jason Hebert
Drifting away from a background in digital media, Jason plans to pursue systems-level work that promotes climate and racial justice.
yeehaw
www.jasonhebert.me/
jhebert@risd.edu
Aaliya Jamal Zaidi
I'm passionate about using design build a better future - be it through improving human health, preserving native languages or connecting to nature. I come from a background in the Humanities, and I see the value in drawing inspiration from across disciplines and amplifying narratives that help us to build a better world. Through creative collaboration, I believe we can explore the spaces in-between — continuously learning from each other and observing issues from different perspectives.
ajamalza@risd.edu
Vrinda Mathur
Early age proclivity towards the arts led me on to pursuing my undergraduate degree in design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, India with a specialisation in Lifestyle Products. After a short stint in luxury lighting with Swarovski, I volunteered to lend a helping hand at my parent’s humble furniture manufacturing setup. This step sowed a seed for my future endeavours as a design entrepreneur with the launch of Studio Wood, a boutique furniture and space design agency which I co-founded in 2014.
The multidisciplinary nature of my practice has given me a voice in the growing design fabric of our country along with recognition from International platforms such as Wanted Design - New York and Salone Satellite - Milan to name a few; While I am grateful for the recognition received for my commercial body of work, I aspire to hone my creative abilities to analyse larger humanitarian problems and be able to test and adapt to global concerns of today and the coming ages.
www.vrindamathur.com/
vmathur@risd.edu
Neil Nelson
MID student, BFA in sculpture, Worked as artist, furniture and installation designer, metal fabrication, commercial sculptor.
nnelson@risd.edu
Juliana Soltys
Juliana is an interdisciplinary designer with an interest in agriculture, systems thinking and sustainable design. She comes from a mechanical engineering background, graduating from Vanderbilt University. She’s currently obsessed with food systems, video production, storytelling, and education.
jsoltys@risd.edu
Julian Wellisz
jwellisz@risd.edu
Aaron Wright
Aaron is a multidisciplinary designer with a background in architecture, as well as a recent lecturer at the University of Tennessee - College of Architecture and Design in Knoxville, TN. Aaron’s current design-research projects seek to examine scale-making and the consumer impact on the environment. This predominantly involves the shifting spatiality of modern infrastructure systems.
For more information: aaronwright.co
dwrigh02@risd.edu