d.school fellow 2007-2008

David loves what he does on a daily basis, even when it means he has to eat a bug here and there. Currently living in Myanmar/Burma (where deep-fried bugs abound), David designs human-centered products that help dollar-a-day rural families generate income. The challenges of designing in a cross-cultural, Burmese-speaking environment keep him continually on the hunt for innovative need-finding techniques, and the lack of infrastructure and raw materials are teaching him to make some very resourceful prototypes.

How does a guy from inner city Philly find himself living in the jungles of Burma? The explanation-like so many other bizarre stories-can't be told without implicating the d.school. David got his first taste of design for the developing world through the d.school's Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme Affordability class. The experience derailed his career plans, and after he finished his mechanical engineering degree he returned to the d.school as a Fellow. While on staff, he helped to teach Extreme Affordability and a number of other d.school classes, and provided resources to students trying to start their own businesses out of class projects.

Even 8,000 miles away, David still maintains a close relationship to the community of thinkers and doers at the d.school. He returns a few times a year to share what he's learned and to sharpen his own design game. The next time he's in the Bay Area, you might be able to catch him playing basketball, improvising, salsa dancing, or cooking for his friends. Deep-fried bugs will not be on the menu.