RESUME
For a PDF version of my resume, please contact me.
WORK AND RESEARCH
DIRECTOR OF NEW VENTURE STRATEGY, ENERGY & MOBILITY•NEWLAB
new york, ny•MAY 2022 – PRESENT
Building scalable businesses that leverage deeptech to solve challenges in sustainable materials, clean energy, and supply chain resilience:
Developed processes for, and leading the execution of, venture creation sprints to ideate, validate, iterate, and launch – or kill – new businesses. Venture creation sprints include market research and trend analysis, competitive landscape review, expert interviews, user research, technology validation and IP assessment, unit economics, commercialization roadmaps, revenue growth strategy, strategic partner outreach, founder search, and pitching for investment.
Leading cross-functional research to define white space opportunities for the new venture pipeline
Cultivating relationships with partners, e.g. inventors, manufacturers, customers, advisors, investors
Conducting due diligence on: (a) technologies for potential new ventures and (b) start-ups for seed and Series A investments from Newlab’s New Systems Venture fund
DESIGN AND INNOVATION CONSULTANT•INDEPENDENT
NEW YORK, NY•JUL 2016 – PRESENT
Guiding product research and strategy for hardware start-ups in waste, water, agriculture, and mobility: leading user research, assessing product-market fit, defining product features, devising roadmaps, validating go-to-market strategies, and building research and strategy capabilities within start-up teams.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, DESIGN RESEARCH•FROG
new york, ny& PHILADELPHIA, PA•FEB 2021 – JUN 2021
Strengthened the design research practice, with a focus on equity, inclusion, and sustainability:
Introduced more equitable design research processes, created guides and tools for equity and inclusion in research and operations, and led training workshops in equity design practices
Developed career pathways, identified professional growth opportunities, mentored researchers
Provided research oversight to multidisciplinary design teams for clients in the circular economy
project lead + Lead design researcher•openbox
new york, ny•aug 2019 – apr 2020
Ran urban design projects to develop equitable, community-centered services and experiences with public sector clients:
Managed relationships with the Library and 5 agency partners spanning architecture, digital media, content, design, and fabrication; 3 of those partners subsequently invited us to co-pitch new projects
Established more equitable practices in research operations: strengthened relationships with underinvested communities, improved accessibility, increased transparency and accountability
Provided oversight to a research and design team; created project plans, facilitated exploratory research, concept development, and user testing of interactive prototypes for exhibits
Sample outcome: to guide a municipal library client in the design, build, and operations of community exhibits, created tools such as experience journey maps, product roadmaps, service blueprints, and community engagement framework and strategy; exhibit opened Sept 2021 (link)
senior design researcher + STRATEGIST•ia collaborative
chicago, il•sep 2017 – may 2019
Led research with multidisciplinary teams to develop products and services for Fortune 500 clients:
Guided clients in the entire design thinking process, including user research, journey mapping, concept ideation, validation, competitive landscape analysis, market sizing, product roadmaps, etc
Planned and facilitated qualitative and quantitative customer research, including immersive observation, in-depth interviews, surveys, diary studies, co-creation, A/B testing, usability, etc
Mentored junior researchers, coached designers in research, organized design education events
Projects spanned diverse industries (e.g. CPG, fitness, food, logistics). Sample outcomes:
Fabric care: R&D roadmap and market strategy for $150-million sustainable laundry platform
Shipping: service and user experience design for last-mile delivery that cuts carbon emissions and costs up to $380 million/year; in 20,000 retail stores and >9 million mobile app downloads
PRODUCT DESIGN + development manager•WATERSHED
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA•MAR 2014 – FEB 2016
Established, built, and led the in-house design practice for a water and sanitation enterprise:
Built design capacity: recruited and trained design researcher, compiled design thinking library, built prototyping workshop
Managed end-to-end product development cycle for a prefabricated shelter for rural toilets, now available on Cambodian market
Led human-centered design research to uncover insights about users and enterprise partners, through surveys, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and co-creation workshops; translated insights into product and business strategies
Assessed product landscape; designed, sketched, modeled, and built multiple prototype iterations, from low- to high-fidelity
Tested each iteration of prototypes in the field for desirability, usability, and durability with users and distribution partners
De-risked the design for manufacturing through failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), managed fabrication contractors, and established manufacturing partnership
Finalist in American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Innovation Showcase, Asia region, Apr 2015
Led user experience study for HappyTap, a handwashing station, in Vietnam using immersion observation, interviews, and co-creation activities to define design requirements for second-generation product and identify new market opportunities
RESEARCH FELLOW•MIT TATA CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY + DESIGN
JHARKHAND, INDIA•MAY 2012 – AUG 2013
Investigated how to reduce off-grid irrigation costs for small farmers in E. India in order to enable farming during dry season:
Employed design research methods to assess farmers’ needs, irrigation practices, water resources, and crop cycles
Collaborated with diverse stakeholders, e.g. pump manufacturers, retailers, mechanics, grassroots NGOs, and local government
Designed dual-mode pump: motorized for high-flow applications (farm), manual for low-flow applications (household)
Evaluated existing technology; tested popular Indian pumps for baseline performance and operation costs
Designed, sketched, modeled, and built prototype; tested it for performance, usability, and desirability with users
RESEARCH ASSISTANT•BUILDING TECHNOLOGY GROUP, MIT
CAMBRIDGE, MA•SEP 2011 – MAY 2012
Executed research to improve the energy efficiency of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for hospitals:
Developed algorithms for detection of faults in HVAC systems for building energy software for a hospital in Madrid, Spain
Researched needs for building energy monitoring systems, including in-depth interviews with building management staff
PROGRAM OFFICER, TECHNOLOGY•INSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT
SHIMLA, INDIA•AUG 2010 – Jul 2011
Conducted user-centered research, led fieldwork, identified market opportunities, and established technology partnerships for:
Traditional watermill upgrades to both grind flour and generate electricity for women-led bakery businesses
Portable energy solutions for pastoral nomads who migrate between the Himalayas and Punjab
PRINCETON IN ASIA FELLOW•THE ENERGY & RESOURCES INSTITUTE
NEW DELHI, INDIA•AUG 2009 – JUL 2010
Researched strategies to expand access to sustainable energy in rural India:
Developed policy and market recommendations for stove technology dissemination for National Biomass Cookstove Initiative; implemented in 15,000-family & 110,000-family pilots; now scaling to 2.4 million family stoves & 3.5 million community stoves
Developed content and materials for capacity building program to train engineers to implement community solar energy projects
education
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
M.S. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING•2013
Thesis: Efficient pumping system for off-grid groundwater irrigation for smallholder farmers in eastern India
Coursework: product design, digital fabrication, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
B.S. ENGINEERING: ATMOSPHERE/ENERGY WITH DISTINCTION•2009
Senior project: Assessment of strategies for community management of micro-hydropower systems in rural Bhutan
Coursework: environmental engineering, energy policy, anthropology field methods, South Asian studies
skills and interests
Software
SolidWorks, SketchUp, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, MATLAB
Prototyping
Digital fabrication, machining, molding and casting
Languages
Hindi (proficient), Urdu (proficient in speaking only), Spanish (intermediate), Khmer (beginner)
Volunteering
Design Strategy Mentor for Early-stage Start-ups, Scale for ClimateTech
Get Out the Vote Volunteer, Supermajority
Expert Advisor, Engineering for Change
Design Thinking Career Mentor, MIT Alumni Network
Mentor, Archimedes Project
Member, Women in Innovation
Interests
scuba diving (PADI Divemaster), hiking, traveling