Louise Manfredi

Louise Manfredi is an Associate Professor of the Practice and Director of the Brown Design Workshop at Brown University's School of Engineering. Her work focuses on sustainable design, circular economy principles, and transformative engineering education. She holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and a B.Des. in Product Design from the University of Leeds, UK.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, UK
• B.Des. in Product Design, University of Leeds, UK

Research Interests: Manfredi's research integrates sustainability into design education and practice, emphasizing life cycle assessment (LCA), professional identity formation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. She explores how design education can promote environmental responsibility and circular economy models through projects like compostable material innovation and UN World Expo collaborations.

Awards:

• 2020 Educator of the Year, Industrial Design Society of America
• 2022 Fellow, Royal Society for the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce

Teaching & Grants: Manfredi has led design education initiatives during the pandemic, including online CAD strategies. She previously managed grants at the Royal Academy of Engineering and served as Entrepreneurship Fellow at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.

Labs & Teams: Directs the Brown Design Workshop, fostering multidisciplinary product development teams. Active in the IDSA Northeast Education Council and the Royal Society for the Arts.