I am a curious, creative, and humanity-driven product designer with a strong research background. I hold a B.S. in Industrial & Interaction Design from Syracuse University and an M.S. in Human-Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington.

I have had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects, from designing M365 data tools, to researching and testing sustainable systems for school-based asthma care with low-income communities. I have also used discursive design to imagine new futures for scientific collaboration, and developed a DE&I focused co-design playbook.

In my graduate studies, I focused on topics such as inclusive and equitable design thinking, design justice, responsible and ethical AI, and Critical Race Theory in HCI. I believe it's crucial that we critically engage and question the ways we design in order to develop technology that's inclusive and equitable to historically excluded communities.

When I'm not designing, you can find me thrifting, flipping old furniture, or exploring NYC. 
 

☆ Speaking 

Shifting the Design Process for DE&I through Co-Design, Microsoft Design Week - 2022

Black Designer Spotlight, Microsoft - 2022

Equitable Design in Practice, Moderator, &Design Fellowship - 2021

Designing for Racial Equity, Tips for Evolving your Human Centered Practice, Boeing Community of Excellence - 2021

Discussion with Shalini Kantayya Director of Coded Bias, Moderator, University of Washington HCDE - 2021

Why We Need Art, Diversity & Culture, Panelist, 540 West Main - 2018 

☀︎ Guest Lecturing

Intro to Human Centered Design, Graduate, University of Washington HCDE: Racial Bias in Design - 2021

Inclusive Design, Undergraduate, University of Washington HCDE: Racial Bias in Design - 2021

Meta Project Advisor, Undergraduate, RIT Industrial Design: Centering Community in Design - 2020  

♡ Awards & Initiatives

Co-design for DE&I, Hack for Culture Award, Microsoft Global Hackathon - 2022

Co-founder University of Washington HCDE Affinity Groups - 2020-21

Student Award of Excellence for Innovation, University of Washington HCDE  - 2021

Student Award of Excellence for Leadership, University of Washington HCDE - 2021

Neon Blackboard Fellow, University of Washington HCDE, (Awarded for commitment to DE&I) - 2021

Founder, Cultivating Creative Agency Conference and Maker Fair, partnered with TGW Studio, &Design Fellowship - 2019

&Design Fellow, (Nationally selected for commitment to systemic equitable change in the design) - 2018

Thank you for visiting. Let's get in touch. ☺︎ 

© 2022 Shelby Zink. All rights reserved.