Brook Kennedy

Brook Kennedy IDSA, NAI is a Professor in the School of Design at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), specializing in Industrial Design. His research spans circular design, human health, alternative technology, biogenic materials, and biomimetic processes. As a 2025 National Academy of Inventors Senior Fellow, Kennedy has established cross-disciplinary relationships with biogenic material science faculty at the Technical University of Munich through a 2024 Global Visiting Professorship.

His research interests focus on sustainable design solutions addressing global challenges. Kennedy explores how abandoned technologies can inform contemporary sustainability efforts, as evidenced by his 2023 Routledge publication Reimagining Alternative Technology for Design in the 21st Century. His work in fog harvesting materials has produced top-cited articles for Wiley-VCH and Elsevier, while his Lisbon Chair project develops biobased degradable polymers for furniture. The Fog Harp project, inspired by redwood tree needles, offers 10x greater water yield than existing fog collectors.

• 2025 National Academy of Inventors Senior Fellow Inductee
• Multiple international design awards including Red Dot Best of the Best, IDEA Gold, and European Product Design Awards
• Author of 176-page Routledge publication on alternative technology (2023)
• Co-inventor of 23+ US and foreign patents
• Widely covered in media including BBC, PBS Newshour, New York Times, and Smithsonian

Kennedy maintains active industry collaborations, advising startups, NGOs, and companies like SC Johnson, OXO, and Nokero Solar. His Fog Harp project has been featured in the documentary Finite Water and exhibited at the Smithsonian. He teaches courses including Applied BioDesign, ID LAB, and Professional Practice, while leading Virginia Tech's BioDesign Research Group. His Macronaut smartphone loupe tool bridges design inspiration and tele-health applications, demonstrating his commitment to practical, human-centered solutions.