Category: Class Introductions

Yellow Bunny Night Light

The first intention was made a cuddle cushion for kid, I love the material I chose so I feel like it could be interesting to sit in living room.
This is the prototype to test the size. I didn’t realize that this might be a little bit too small at that time.
Test material for the brightness. Looking good!
After I finished sewing I figured two things. One is this size is kinda small for cuddling but perfect as a carry purse maybe. The second thing is, this fabric is so good for making a Pikachu! I should make the ears in a straight line!! It will be so cute to carry a Night light Pikachu purse on the street, I might fix this after this class.
I have really poor knowledge on physics, so I had a lot of problem of making a reasonable circuit. I was thinking about to design the lights but I didn’t realize the power will just be the battery box. But anyway, after I looked around classmate’s work I finally get the idea of this. Unfortunately, this circuit does not light up as it supposed to be, I wish it’s not because I designed it wrong, it perhaps because my clumsy soldering skills. I will definitely practice more!

Hi, Im Qiting

Hi all, I’m Qiting from GZ, China. I was major in industrial design. In four years of study life, I had been involved in a wide range of design practices not only in product design, but also in graphics, UI and service design. I am really interested in, and eager for knowledge of designing marketing and business strategies that I have little contact with.

I like playing games in my free time, especially like animal crossing recently. I am obsessed with the design and planning of my island, and complete it bit by bit. If you are also a player, very welcome to visit~

I uploaded lots of my works on instagram, hope you like it and here’s the link https://www.instagram.com/qttting_f/

I am very excited to study and work with PoD guys 🙂

Hi, I’m Stephen


I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA, and I have been living between NYC and LA for the last five years. Before PoD, I studied Photography and Latin American and Iberian Studies at Bard College. I am really interested in, and plan on centering my design practice on social and racial justice.

I really love to photograph with my large format camera as well as go to movies and biking. Traveling is my favorite activity, and I love to go on road trips or impromptu vacations. I don’t have experience working with Arduino, but I am really excited to start making in this class!

My website is www.stephenmjoyce.com and my instagram is @stephenmjoyce

Hey this is Susan!

Hey this is Susan Zhang from Shenzhen. I come from Wuhan but I worked in SHenzhen for almost 3 years. I used to majored in Industrial Design and Digital Fabrication of Design, after I graduate I worked in manufacturing industry as a supply chain manager here. I attended several design workshop on my leisure time while I was working, it always make me to think how design thinking way has influenced my life choices, that makes me want to study more and maybe connect my interests with my future career path.

Here I attached some of my old craft work, btw I really into the conversation of CMF topics, welcome to talk to me!! ;P

Hi, I’m Zekun Yang

Hi, I’m Zekun Yang. I grew up in Tianjin. I studied at the University of Nottingham, Ningbo before coming to PoD. I have a BEng degree in product design and manufacture. I am interested in sustainable design and I am doing an internship in a start-up designing with recycled waste.

I like to travel and I try to make the best use of my holidays as a student to travel around the world. I have been to a lot of places around the world, mostly in China and Asia.

I have worked with Arduino and other microcomputers before but only with help from friends in electronic engineering. And I never have the opportunity to learn it systematically. So I’m very excited about what can I learn in making studio.

Hi, I’m Gaoming :)

I’m from Fujian, China. Before studying at PoD, I was majored in Graphic Design at Binghamton University. During my 4-year undergraduate, I was a layout designer for the campus newspaper organization-Pipe Dream, I enjoyed arranging photos and texts within the newspaper page, and catching up the deadlines every midnight.

I’m also really into theater productions, especially musicals. I enjoyed seeing plays so much that I decided to obtain a minor in theater technical productions. While working at the woodshop building varies sceneries, I was able to learn how to cut woods, paint scenes, and cooperate with the team to construct the stage.

Upon my experiences, I’ve never get to work with electronics before, so I’m very excited and worried about the upcoming Arduino project at the same time. And I believe whatever the outcomes, it would become a great experience for me.

Hello from Seoul.

Hi, my name is Isabell. I graduated from UCLA in bachelors in Sociology. After graduation, I worked at a start-up for marketing. I always knew I wanted to do something creative and with my new love for the tech industry, I put them together to find a career path in product design. I have a passion for people and social impact. I saw so many opportunities with product design to be able to pursue my passions and make them come alive!

I love ceramics because it is free-flowing but so therapeutic. My other hobbies that I love are film photography, finding good restaurants because I am a foodie, music, fashion, art, and working out!

I’m really excited to use my creativity to see ideas come alive as I will be working with my hands.

Hi, I’m Margarita

I have been living in New York for almost a decade after coming here for college. I studied Hotel and Tourism Management but now have a professional graphic design background with a mix of other experiences. Originally, my family is from the Philippines but I grew up in the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan as well.

I love to try many different ways of making and take classes when I can. Most recently (pre-pandemic) I took a flameworking class and loved it. I’ve also spent time at the Textile Arts Center and learned how to do a bit of weaving and other textile crafts as well. I have been doing a lot of bread baking lately, which has been great to learn during this time. I love to eat dumplings of any form (dim sum type dumplings, pierogis, empanadas, etc.) and am looking forward to learning how to combine electronics with other soft skills and improving my making abilities.

Hi, I’m Anne

Hi, I’m Anne. I live in New York City. I have a background in higher education, first in teaching and then in higher education administration and specifically in educational technology. In my last job, I was hired as Chief Technology Officer for The General Theological Seminary–the oldest Episcopal Seminary in the U.S. The seminary is near SVA and occupies an entire city block in Chelsea.

I was hired in 2000 to teach the professors there how to incorporate technology in their teaching. However, when I arrived at the seminary, there was almost no technology and what was there was either broken, on the verge of breaking or out-dated. The campus was built in the 1800s, so is very historical (for the U.S.). I was mindful of designing technology solutions that did not negatively impact the overall design of the campus. It was a huge challenge with a limited budget and tiny staff, but it was amazing to be so hands on building out the first computer network, installing SMART classrooms, email servers, phone systems, security systems — and the list goes on and on.

Along the side, I have worked as a freelance graphic artist. I don’t have a formal arts education, but have taken Continuing Education courses at Parsons and SVA over the last ten or so years. I do like working with my hands, learning new techniques and and how to use new tools. I’ve done a lot of carpentry. I also know how to use a sewing machine. I like electronics, though I find it challenging. I got my amateur radio license a few years ago and that helped me to begin learning electronics. I’ve done some Arduino and Raspberry Pi projects.

I applied to SVA PoD to fulfill a life-long dream to go to art school. The PoD program made sense not only because non-traditional applicants were welcome but also as a way to integrate the threads of my education, job and life experience. I am looking forward to the next two years and hope to take what I learn at PoD back out in the world either by going back to teaching or working as a designer or both.

In my free time, I train with my martial arts school where I hold a black belt in kickboxing and jujitsu. I am also a certified personal trainer working mostly with older clients or those recovering from injuries. I’m married and my wife and I have a wonderful daughter who lives and works in Philadelphia. We live with our Caleb, our dog and Madison, our cat (who regularly appears in Zoom class meetings in the background).

Here is a link to a fun Halloween project I made: http://akeating.com/portfolio/doll-project/

Hi! I’m Katy…

Hi! I’m Katy. My undergraduate degree was in Architecture. Throughout my education, there was a focus on a fabrication in both digital/manual so I love projects in which I can work with my hands. In my professional experience, I helped firms in Los Angeles and New York design low-income housing projects. I have also been an interior designer for high-end residential projects in Los Angeles. In my free time, I love to cook and go camping. For my quarantine activity, I recently learned how to sew and love it. I also like to be involved in community service and am working towards being more involved in social justice issues in any capacity I can be.