Marianna is a socially engaged designer and mechanical engineer, focusing on co-creating equitable and sustainable futures with communities. Currently, Marianna is a Research Associate at the Loughborough Design School (UK), where she leads two Living Labs in Kenya and Tanzania to help inform the design of modern energy cooking services (MECS). She received her Ph.D. from UM in Design Science in 2020, she researches prototyping and stakeholder engagement methods in cross-cultural socially-engaged projects. Marianna loves making things (prototyping) and can help you think about and implement your socially engaged design process and how to strive for equitable community engagement. She also loves discussing all things sustainability-related, from life-cycle assessment to post-capitalism.
Marianna has worked on projects in Ghana, India, and Thailand, Michigan, and France. She has worked on projects in social innovation, medical devices, health technologies, women’s empowerment, and environmental sustainability. Marianna also works for the Post-Growth Institute, the Climate Fresk Association, and the Telluride Association. She holds a M.A. in Applied Economics (UM), a Masters of Mechanical Engineering, and an M.S. in product design and innovation (Arts et Metiers Paristech, Paris, France).
Talk to Marianna about the following topics:
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Getting Started with C-SED
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Making and Building
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Socially Engaged Design Process
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Partnerships and Community Engagement