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January 25, 2005: Introduction to Designing Matter

Reading

McDonough, W.; Braungart, M. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things; Northpoint Press:  New York, 2002.

Questions

  • What matter do you work with?
  • Where does it come from? How do you procure it?
  • What languages, symbols, designs and ideas do you use to represent it?
  • How do you see it? How do you measure and study it? What tools do you use? How do you manipulate, shape and transform matter?
  • How do you realize your designs? What is it that you are trying to create? What are you trying to achieve and understand?
  • For what purpose? For whose benefit?
  • If you create something, how is it used? How do people and other living things interact with it?
  • What happens to the matter when you are done with it? Where does it go when it is no longer useful, viable? Where does it end up?
  • What parts of the design process are most interesting and important to you and why? What drives your work? How does your approach compare to others' in your field?
  • What is the value of your work to society? What are the broader impacts?

Speaker

Prof. Cassandra L. Fraser is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry. In research, teaching, and service activities, she is especially keen on building bridges between...