hello,
my name is Julia.
I am an
engineer, educator, & designer.
Drawing from my experience in product design & manufacturing, engineering education and humanitarian relief, I work on innovation for development; enabling the conception, realization and proliferation of solutions that improve the lives of people in resource-limited settings.
case studies.
Designed & taught a course that combined hands-on making with human-centered design thinking training student engineers to create functional solutions to problems identified within their local communities in Tanzania.
A simple mold & insets that allow for the small-scale production of neonatal nasal prongs - a key medical consumable for helping babies breathe. Tested with artisan manufacturing makers in Kariobangi, Nairobi.
The story of turning a small university makerspace into a PPE production facility - how local manufacturing & engineering
talent met supply chain gaps in Tanzania in the most dire times.
Inspired by the dying art of indigenous peoples' facial markings, this reimagined bottle opener reveals how modern everyday objects can serve as reservoirs of traditional design tropes.
What might artists & engineers have to learn from each other? How can the resources & pedagogy of makerspaces support artists' education? How do design thinking, lateral thinking & art thinking intersect?
These questions explored in full day workshop designed & implemented for Tanzanian student artists and engineers.
coming soon, documentation ongoing