Collaboration

2020 ReConnect | Keynote Speakers

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Alphabetical order by name

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​Martin Bechthold

Professor, Harvard University

Director of the Doctor of Design Studies Program and the Master in Design Engineering Program

Kumagai Professor of Architectural Technology

Professor Bechthold is Director of the Doctor of Design Program, director of the GSD's Technology Platform, and Associate Faculty at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. He received a Diplom-Ingenieur degree in architecture from the Rheinisch-Westfalische Technische Hochschule in Aachen, Germany, and a Doctor of Design Degree from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.

Bechthold’s research broadly looks at material and fabrication technology as a catalyst of innovation for design practice. In 2010 he founded the GSD’s Design Robotics Group and recently merged it into the Material Processes and Systems (MaPS) Group, a collaboration of faculty, research associates, and students that pursues sponsored and other research projects. MaPS's current research focuses on integrating robotic technology into fabrication and construction processes, developing advanced material systems in collaboration with industry partners and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, and understanding problems of lifecycle design in (building) products. 

​YANG Yan 

Director of Nursing Department

Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of medicine

Ms. YANG Yan is the director of Nursing Department of Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of medicine. She is also the chairman of professional committee of nursing ethics of Shanghai Nursing Association as well as the first chairman of Shanghai Zuoying award winner Federation.

Yang has chaired more than 10 research projects, published 11 books and 50 papers(including 5 SCI papers), translated 3 nursing tool manuals and 5 patents. She was awarded the first prize of national vocational education achievement and the second prize of Shanghai education achievement. In 2015, She has been named in the first Excellent Young Nursing Talent Training Plan of Shanghai and was awarded honor of outstanding member.

GUO Yu 

Expert in User Experience and Design field

Former Chief Designer of Baidu

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Mr. GUO Yu is well known expert in User Experience and Design field.  He has worked as design adviser for many leading companies. He joined Baidu as Chief Designer and founded User Experience Design team in 2004. He also worked for Netscape, eBay and PayPal as senior designer. Mr. Guo received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Industrial Design from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and received his master degree in Design Planning from the Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology. He also holds joint EMBA degree from Columbia Business School and London Business School.

John Hartman

Clinical Assistant Professor 

Segal Design Institute 

Northwestern University

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John Hartman is an industrial designer and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Segal Design Institute. He was previously Industrial Design Lead at LUNAR, a product design and development consultancy.

Open-ended problems requiring students to explore possible solutions and take action allow students to become immediately engaged and invested in the design process. This approach has become a cornerstone of Hartman’s teaching. Since graduating from the Cleveland Institute of Art with honors, Hartman has grown along with the design profession to seek understanding and empathy through research. Moving beyond the focus of creating artifacts, he has become obsessed with the creation of meaningful and exceptional user experiences, regardless of the medium.

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