Virginia Tech
PROJECTS | 2021
Cocoberry
Hayley Stout, Minakshi Seth, Taylor Davis, RJ Weaver
Cocoberry is a face wash that uses cocoa as both a soap ingredient and a resource for product packaging.
Finalist Team
Instructor - 2021
Brook Kennedy
Brook Kennedy is an industrial designer, researcher and educator. With a foundation in industry with human-centered design agencies (Smart Design, MGDG), his current research work explores design opportunities across biology, design, and engineering with a special focus on sustainability and health. His sequoia tree-inspired fog harvesting technology, Fog Harp, has attracted funding and international media attention for advancing global access to clean drinking water. Currently, he is researching promising sustainable biomaterials with Jonas Hauptman and collaborators at UCSD and TUM. Brook began his education as a biologist and later in design, receiving degrees at Reed College and Stanford University. Over the past two decades, he has earned more than 20 patents and 20 international awards.
Jonas Hauptman
Jonas Hauptman’s work is focused on fundamentally reshaping the ways that we design and manufacture products and buildings. His work intertwines novel digital technologies with lightweight, biological, and bio-inspired materials toward intelligent responses to human needs that generate net positive ecological impacts. His current research focuses largely on rethinking building with bamboo, and he has integrated his research discovery with student learning and service to higher education and the broader community. His collaborations have gained the attention of nationally published design press and contributed to the discourse on varied forms of practice, sustainable design, and design ethics within both the school and the design community. Jonas has also been the co-founder of multiple startup companies including Seeyond which was acquired by 3Form. In 2019 his recent co-authored research was recognized as runner up for the Autodesk ACADIA Emerging Research Award for work supported by the American Institute of Architecture’s 2018 prestigious Upjohn Award.