RESEARCh Portfolio
Graduate work for Master of Art in Sustainable Design and Graduate Certificate in Biomimicry
Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Ranked as 9th in the top 15 Art Schools in the USA as of 2025.
Merit Scholar Award 2024
THESIS WORK:
Hyper-Local Materials as a More Sustainable Alternative to Water-Based Acrylic Paints
This thesis explores sustainability in the arts, addressing the environmental impact of acrylic paints and proposing innovative solutions like hyperlocal, plant-based paints and the "Farm to Canvas™" concept. It advocates for sustainable systems in artistic communities, aligning with global goals to drive informed, transformative practices for a sustainable future.
Fundamentals of Sustainability
This graduate course on sustainable design informed a comprehensive life cycle assessment of acrylic paint, examining its environmental, social, and health impacts—from raw material extraction to disposal—while addressing issues like petroleum-based products, heavy metals, microplastic pollution, and recycling challenges, ultimately questioning the sustainability claims of acrylic paints.
Visual Communications
This graduate project, "Myth-conceptions Around Sustainability," utilized data visualization to debunk sustainability myths, highlight factual solutions from Project Drawdown, and present actionable climate strategies through a compelling infographic.
Collaborative Product Design
This research project created a design brief for the eco-redesign of Target Corp.'s Loring End Table, integrating behavior design, innovative material exploration, and life cycle assessments to reduce CO₂ emissions, double the product lifecycle, minimize phantom energy, and promote circularity without compromising quality or cost.
Biomimetic Design
(2 projects)
These graduate projects applied biomimicry principles to design sustainable solutions, including "Harvest Helper," a multifunctional gardening tool inspired by nature to simplify home gardening, and "The Regenerative Painting," a circular lifecycle system for artworks that eliminates waste and fosters environmental and community nourishment.
Systems Thinking
This project uses Systems Thinking to transform the artist's design process into a sustainable, regenerative system by integrating circular material sourcing, local partnerships, collaborative networks, and ecological and social values.
Practice of Sustainable Design
This project reimagines artist studio practices by replacing petroleum-based acrylic paints with locally sourced, sustainable, and compostable materials, fostering environmental responsibility and deeper connections to nature.
Design for Climate Justice (2 projects)
These projects focus on advancing sustainability and climate justice by empowering communities through hands-on education, creative practices, and locally sourced, environmentally responsible solutions that promote awareness and action.
Making the Business Case
This research project develops a sustainable business plan for a Sustainable Innovation School, utilizing the Living Principles framework to integrate art, design, and sustainability through interdisciplinary education, material innovation, and community collaboration, empowering artists as leaders in environmental and social change.
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