Student Spotlight: Gloria Chun

What brought you to the Shapiro Design Lab?
I actually came to the SDL in search for a new job after my work study job ended. I thought that I would make the most of losing my work study and find something that had less mundane activities and more interesting work. With a Mechanical Engineering degree, I thought I could perhaps apply my knowledge outside of the classroom and project groups. I came across the SDL application by word and applied! After an interview with Justin, I was hired! That was the Fall of 2017, and I've been having a blast here ever since.

What are you most excited to work on? If you've continued working at SDL, what is a project you're proud of?
I'm most proud of the projects that I help others work on. Many student groups walk into the lab in search of using a 3D Printer. I love advising their groups on overall design and implementation, showing how there's so much more to a design than just function or aesthetics. I also enjoy working on the Tactile Universe Team, which is aiming to help visually-impaired students navigate campus and campus buildings.

How do you work towards an idea? What is your process?
Ideas can come from different areas, whether it is assigned or inspired from something mundane. The first step in pursuing an idea is researching its feasibility: what will it take for me to follow something through. This includes time, resources, other people/experts, etc. From there, my process mirrors the classic design process of researching background information, concept generation, mock-up, analysis, prototyping, testing, and conclusion. 

What are your current interests (hobby, something cool you've learned on the web, a podcast, etc.), both related and unrelated to design?
My current interests include baking/cooking, learning guitar, and looking up/planning new adventures to embark on (Mt. Rainer, Iceland, etc). 

Share a project you've worked on!

Gloria

This is a picture of one of the student group projects. It is a 3D model of a iPhone case with container attachment.