I want to create meaningful objects that improve our human condition using engineering and design.

my name is Kayla Matheus, and I am a creative problem solver.

Kayla Matheus235 W Van Buren St. Apt. 4115Chicago, IL 60607

978-618-6820

kaylamatheus.comkayla.m.matheus@gmail.com

paid experienceS.C. JohsnonSenior Associate in Design (Winter 2014 - Present)

bringing human-centered design practices to technology development early on, conducting consumer research, and designing new products for malaria prevention.

AltitudeFreelance Mechanical Engineer (Winter 2014)

designing and developing prototypes for a novel product in the surgical world.

Design for AmericaFellow, Project Consultant (Fall 2012 - Fall 2013)

mentoring university students studios across the country in human-centered design, creating learning tools for them, and participating in organizational strategy.

Segal Design Institute, Northwestern University Instructor (Winter 2013 - Spring 2013)

teaching a section of the course “Design Thinking and Communication” to a group of sixteen freshman engineering majors.

Yale Center for Engineering Innovation and Design Design Intern (Fall 2011 - Fall 2012)

assisting in the creation of a new interdisciplinary center aimed at undergraduates in engineering and design.

educationYale University, May 2011 BA: Art (graphic design, sculpture), Mechanical Engineering Cum Laude, Distinction in the Major

Concord-Carlisle High School, 2007

skillsdesign thinkinghuman-centered designrapid prototypingmetal machiningwood machiningCAD/CAM graphic designsketchingphotographybasic programming written editingSpanish language

softwareAbode CS 4, 5, 6SolidworksMasterCAMMicrosoft Office/iLife

hobbiessoccerguitarswing dancing

A quick look at my resume.

art + engineering = design

human-centered design meaning

As a recent graduate in art and engineering from Yale University, I have a love for merging the creative and the technical. In art, I learned to think in an intuitive, goal-oriented fashion and to push the bounds of reality. In engineering, I learned a more functional, detail-oriented method driven by the properties of the physical world. Blending these two modes of thought creates something powerful: a method of problem solving that is conceptual and creative while at the same time grounded in utility and craftsmanship. I believe that this mindset is vital to the makings of a good designer.

Yet pure function can be impersonal, while pure form may lack in impact. Art and engineering become unified in design when they are anchored by the human as user. Between my schoolwork, work for the Yale Center for Engineering Innovation and Design, and experience now as Fellow for Design for America, I have come to firmly believe in the processes of design thinking and human-centered design. Their common elements of “innovation” - problem definition, user empathy, research analysis, rapid prototyping, user testing, interdisciplinary teams, iteration etc. - are divergent yet honest. They are tailored to actually solve real needs, and solve them truly. I believe that in addition to the blend of emotional awareness and free-thinking with logical analysis and functional rigor, good design creates things that matter.

My approach to design is based in two beliefs.

parts of the design process I am most interested in.

Above: A visual analysis of the design process I created and then tailored for Design for America tools and guides, 2013. I don’t want to siloed into being a CAD monkey (though I do love working in Solidworks).

I believe the best designs come from working in interdisciplinary teams all throughout the design process. I am specifically interested in applying the insights that come from research towards the ideation of solutions, and then following through with those ideas into the prototyping and testing phases.

research insights design goals

ideation

“how can we”statement(s)

a problem(space)

concepts questions

assumptionsquestions

prototyping

testing

formfunction

manufacturingtest environment

rough design

insights robust design

pilot

sustained impact

insightsdeploy

implementation modelpitch

I want to work with my mind and my hands.

One fascinating part of this project was researching the perspective of prosthetic hand users. We worked with a hook user to better understand their needs and ensure that tasks could be easily accomplished.

After 3D printing to get the right form, we turned to figuring out how to manufacture the fingers at a lower cost. We developed a series of mold-making and CNC milling steps to get the complex forms and grips.

I designed the prosthetic fingers based off the human hand and the robot finger tech-nology used by the lab. The Grab Lab uses rubber joints that bend when a line is pulled rather than difficult-to-control motors.

Once the fingers were developed, I moved onto the design of the entire palm and connections to the fingers and mechanical interior. This complex geometry was a new CAD challenge.

The body-powered prosthetic hand aims to be a passive, under-actuated, and anthropomorphic prosthetic powered by a traditional shoulder harness used by many upper body amputees. While most modern prosthetics are complex and expensive, this project hopes to bring a cheaper and more effective alternative. I worked on this project with a graduate student at the Grab Lab at Yale university over a summer. My part in the project was designing and manufacturing the fingers, grips, and palm for the hand.

Project 1: Body-powered Prosthetic Hand.

In order to mimic the hot and humid condi-tions of Sub-Saharan Africa in the middle of winter in Connecticut, we built a full-scale humidity chamber to test our prototype and different cassava densities.

The crux of our design lies in the use of a “Kentank” – a commonly used water tank in Sub-Saharan Africa. We used all locally-avail-able materials and skills so as to encourage a sustainable and local economy.

Initial dryer concepts ranged from tumblers to “salad spinners” to dehumidifiers. We ultimately chose a dehydrating concept that uses a fan to carry away moisture.

A significant factor in drying times was the density and size of the cassava on the trays. We ran experiments to determine the optimal arrangement and ensure that drying times made sense for the cost of the dryer.

This cassava dryer is the result of a team project in appropriate technology intended for farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Powered by a 12-volt battery, the dryer eliminates the need to travel long distances to a cassava plant or wait for sun-based drying. The battery is charged by farmers using a novel technology that harnesses energy from pre-existing sources, such as human-powered bicycles or spinning motorcycle wheels, and converts it into mechanical or electrical energy.

More information at: onewheeldrive.weebly.com

Project 2: Cassava Dryer for Sub-Saharan Africa.

ALUMNUS

DFA NATIONAL

SPONSOR/DONOR

(organization)

STUDENT

COUNCIL MEMBER

HQ STAFF

STUDIO

UNIVERSITY

APPLYING STUDIO

RECOGNITION

CompetitionsPressAwards

NETWORK(individual)

Faculty Mentor Other/Misc. Professional Mentor

PROJECT

EVENT

Workshop Conference

Presentation Summer Studio

Leadership Studio Review

SPONSOR/DONOR

(individual)

NETWORK(organization)

Implementation Partner

Community Partner

At an organizational level, we identified that DFA needed to keep track of its numbers and metrics. Here, a map I helped create of the entities at play in our organization.

A comprehensive communications plan for transparency and the transfer of information between DFA headquarters and our studios and project teams.

Gathering stories and perspectives from DFA students at a meetup of our studios in the East Coast. Students drew themselves before and after DFA so we could better understand our target user’s motivations.

One identified need was fostering a deeper understand of the theory of human-centered design and how to do certain parts of the process. I spearheaded the effort to create a comprehensive design process guide.

As a Design for America (DFA) Fellow, I have worked on a myriad of mini-projects contributing to the support of DFA students and growth of the organization as a whole. My primary role was to mentor 5 studios at universities across the countries, which translates to around 125 students and 25 design projects. In addition, I worked with other DFA staff to improve communications, student learning, and organizational logistics.

Project 3: DFA Mentoring & Strategy.

Testing with a user (she liked it!)

The top-down lattice structure.Initial concept sketches to figure out curvature, structural supports, and interfacing with the stool.

Each cardboard piece was hand-cut and together form a cohesive curvature for comfort.

This piece provides a functional and aesthetic improvement to a traditional art stool. While cardboard is not conventionally sturdy or comfortable, the interlocking lattice structure can support an average human’s weight and remain comfortable over time. As there are no fasteners, the stool remains unharmed and can be returned to normal by disassembling the chair pieces.

Project 4: Stool-Chair.

The tent fully transformed.

Initial prototyping at a small scale using trash bags.

Initial sketching of various shapes and configurations. A big decision point was the shape of the head of the tent that would become the hood of the jacket, as well as the number of panels.

Jacket-Tent is made primarily out of wa-ter-proof plastic tarps. As the transformation occurs, velcro, plastic tubing, and string also play a key role.

This project is a response to the prompt of making a garment that transforms into a shelter. I was inspired by disaster-relief efforts in current events and sought to create a hypothetical emergency shelter in wearable form. I took care to use the aesthetic of emergency situations in attractive ways while also making the piece fully functional as a tent.

To view the transformation: vimeo.com/34725850

Project 5: Jacket-Tent.

The portfolio I submitted to the Innovation Design Engineering program at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, for which I was accepted in 2012. This includes much of my sculptural and graphic arts work not included in this design portfolio.

kaylamatheus.com/ide-portfolio.html

My daily work as a Design for America fellow, mentoring and strategizing according to the human-centered design process. Also, my work founding the Design for America studio at Yale University in 2011.

2fellows.tumblr.com (password: Design101)

https://vimeo.com/37957412

In 2010, I co-authored a conference paper entitled Benchmarking Grasping and Manipulation: Properties of the Objects of Daily Living at the Proceedings of the 2010 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2010).

http://www.eng.yale.edu/grablab/pubs/Matheus_IROS2010.pdf

In 2007, I placed 3rd in the Massachusetts High School Sabre Fencing Championships.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/sports/x907172828

Some other things I’m proud of.