Early in my career, I was a showroom designer for the furniture manufacturer Haworth and soon afterwards, I co-established an interior design studio that emphasizes sustainable design practices. Now, as a professor in design studies and chief sustainability officer—and lead for Wege Prize international competition for students in higher education—I’m excited to help students advance their innovative design ideas for a sustainable future.
For me, inspiration is everywhere. Students and great leaders in sustainability inspire me, like Wege Prize’s higher-education students and multidiscipline judges. Design-thinking is the answer to sustainable solutions that promote a circular, regenerative economy. My work with a special enrichment program for high schoolers immerses young people in whole-systems design thinking, sustainability, and the circular economy—that’s inspiring.