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PHOTO ESSAY: ‘Good Design is Invisible’

goersab — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:30:00 +0000

PHOTO ESSAY: ‘Good Design is Invisible’goersab January 7, 2026

Industrial & Product Design students combine engineer-thinking and artistic expression

The warm, sweet, earthy smell of fresh sawdust, the roaring sound of bandsaws and ventilation hoses, and the shush-shush-shush rhythm of sandpaper on wood grain greet you as you walk down the long ramp tucked away on the first floor of the Applied Arts Building.

Tie your hair back and put on your safety glasses, because you’re about to enter �� . Process Lab. Each year, one thousand School of Art & Design students visit the Process Lab – a space for them to bring their creative concepts to fruition.

This week, industrial and product design students are building their final projects – “entryway assistants” – for their Product Form and Visualization course, led by Associate Professor Dan Neubauer.

Their entryway assistants need to at least hold one coat or other items their clients deem important. The project encompasses the full design process – market research, concept sketches, form studies, iterations, low-fidelity prototypes, and final models built of wood and metal.

“The unwritten course objective is the life skills that they’re building,” Neubauer said. Quoting design expert Don Norman, he adds that, “Good design is invisible,” meaning the “best designs are those that seamlessly integrate into our lives.”

Aaron Burnham agrees. “Most good designs we use, we don’t even notice. We don’t even think twice about,” he said.

Think of how often you enter and leave your home. How often do you hang up your coat or remove it from a hook to throw it on before stepping out into the cold? How often do you use an item as simple as a coat hook and not even appreciate its simplicity and utility?

Burnham ��. entryway assistant design is based on a link in a chain. “I was inspired by the simple shape and desire to create something that was sculptural and visually appealing, even when it isn’t being used as a coat hanger. It was important to me to create something that served multiple purposes, both functional and purely aesthetic,” he said.

He has two designs – one is 8 inches tall and the second is 16 inches. He initially thought of creating a 36-inch-tall chain link but went with the smaller sizes to keep it simple, while providing options.

Burnham is building the links of cherrywood and curved stainless steel pipes, with a chrome finish. The metal pipes are sunk into the cherrywood to join the two elements together.

The links are fixed to the wall via two posts inserted into the back of the link, so that it will sit out from the wall, giving it depth and making it appear as if the coats are floating as they rest atop the design.

Burnham researched CB2, a sister company of Crate & Barrel, but with a more eclectic vibe, he said. Many of CB2 ��. designs have Greek and Latin names, and Burnham is hoping to find a link – no pun intended – to the word “chain” as he decides on a name for his entryway assistant, which he ��. building for his fiancé, Hannah, and their home.

Across the lab, Alex Koszarek ��. freestanding 6-foot-tall oak-frame coat rack is designed for college students living in shared houses. The coat rack is 36 inches wide and 12 inches deep and can hold six jackets and six pairs of shoes. The sides of the frame are arched.

“My goal was to make something functional for tight, chaotic student spaces – something that would support coats, backpacks, shoes and other essentials without feeling bulky,” she said.

She researched IKEA as her design company, “focusing on their warm, organic aesthetic, and simple forms and clean lines that feel at home in any interior,” she said. She ��. waiting for inspiration to strike to name her design – possibly a Swedish name to follow IKEA ��. model?

To shape the coat hooks, Koszarek cuts and bends 16-gauge metal plates and mills out the oak frame, so the plates sit flush within. Working with Machinist Doug Stodola, she inserts countersinks to secure the plates to the frame.

She cuts and planes slats for the two shoe shelves and meticulously spaces the slats, forming a balanced latticework. Each shelf has a curved edge.

“The curved arch forms and layered shelves come from wanting the piece to feel friendly and easy to use,” she said. To create the arch forms, Instrument Shop Coordinator Deano Samens crafted a custom steamer for Koszarek – based on the concept of a garment steamer hooked up to a PVC pipe. The oak planks are placed in a pipe, which is filled with hot water. The wood is steamed for eight hours in a steamer. The planks are then clamped onto a curved wooden frame – crafted by Koszarek – to dry, forming the arch.

“Students learn that an idea might look nice on their laptop or sketchbook, but now the challenge begins of ‘how do you make it?’ How do you turn a concept into a real object?” Samens said. “That ��. the cool part about Stout ��. polytechnic model: Students are actively engaged in the making process.

“In their future careers, they may work with engineers who might say something can’t be done, but here, the designers can say, ‘Yes, it can. I’ve done it before.’ It ��. key that they learn their limitations here, as well as the steps they can take to succeed. These students have a grasp on what is possible,” Samens added.

The Process Lab is more than a wood shop. In one corner of the room, you notice heavy plastic curtains and the sharp smell of heat on metal. Inside the welding area, you don on a green flame-resistant welding jacket and helmet.

“The benefit of the Process Lab is that all the students are creating in one room. Everything they need to complete their projects is right here,” Neubauer said. “If I need to show or demo a tool, we can gather in one space. And if they need my assistance, I’m right here. We don’t have to walk across campus to another facility. Our classroom is right upstairs, and we come down to the lab when we’re ready for the build process.”

At a welding table, Jackson Killinger ignites a torch and practices connecting trial T-bars in preparation for creating metal shelving.

Having previously worked as a welder, Killinger ��. 83-inch-tall design is heavily constructed of metal. His entryway assistant mounts over the top of a window frame, with a wooden shelf that rests on top and another that rests on the windowsill. Two metal shelves sit at angles toward the base of the frame, serving as shoe racks.

His entryway assistant is inspired by Room & Board and Crate & Barrel designs, with clean, angular lines and a modern look. It is a gift for his wife, Caroline. As his client for the project, “She ��. given a lot of input to my design,” he said. Maybe he’ll name his design for her?

‘Engineer-thinking and artistic expression’

As a welder and woodworker, Killinger likes to work with his hands. “Industrial design allows me to be creative and use my skills. It ��. a good middle area, where I can have a reliable career,” he said.

Koszarek has always been drawn to hands-on problem-solving and creating objects that people interact with daily.

“Growing up, I analyzed how certain things were made, and I started thinking about how this thing could be made easier for interactions. Industrial and product design is a healthy mix between engineer-thinking and artistic expression, and that ��. what truly pulled me into the program,” she said.

On the flipside, up until about two years ago, Burnham didn’t know that industrial and product design was a career field.

“What drew me to industrial design was the fact that I would have the opportunity to work on projects that could create an impact on people ��. lives and solve problems that others might not recognize. I can work to understand people and apply that understanding in iterative and creative ways,” he said.

�� . School of Art & Design offers bachelor ��. degrees in animation and digital media; game design and development-art; graphic design and interactive media; illustration; industrial and product design; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, and an M.F.A. in design. �� also has a new program in game and media studies.

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PHOTO ESSAY: ‘Good Design is Invisible’

Industrial & Product Design students combine engineer-thinking and artistic expression

January 7, 2026

Co-op Q&A: Izabelle Quade, Prent Corporation, Janesville

‘Making people ��. lives better is what I strive for.’

October 7, 2025

Campus color: Alumni demonstrate industry leadership at Design Wisconsin event at ��

Pros from Sherwin-Williams, Red Wing Shoe among presenters at fourth annual conference

July 15, 2025

Industrial & Product Design students combine engineer-thinking and artistic expression Industrial design, Process Lab project

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The School of Art & Design students have access to a wide variety of woodworking and metalwork tools and related equipment.

Dan Neubauer

Dan Neubauer is an Associate Professor of Industrial Design with over ten years of teaching experience in higher education. His academic and professional focus centers on sustainable design practices, specializing in the application and development of non-petroleum-based materials. Neubauer brings expertise in materials research, manufacturing processes, and furniture design, bridging innovative material exploration with practical, human-centered applications.

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Curriculum Vitae: Dan Neubauer CV (40.33 KB)

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Degree: M.I.D. Industrial Design

University: Iowa State University

Degree: B.F.A. Studio Art

University: Iowa State University

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Co-op Q&A: Izabelle Quade, Prent Corporation, Janesville

goersab — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 20:00:00 +0000

Co-op Q&A: Izabelle Quade, Prent Corporation, Janesvillegoersab October 7, 2025

‘Making people ��. lives better is what I strive for.’

With manufacturing facilities around the globe, Prent Corporation provides custom thermoformed packaging solutions for medical devices, electronics and more for many of the world ��. leading Fortune 100 companies.

At Prent Corporation ��. headquarters in Janesville, �� industrial and product design student Izabelle Quade is seeing these solutions firsthand and applying skills she ��. learned to help design packaging during her product design engineering cooperative this summer and fall.

“Prent creates packages that house products that save people ��. lives in the medical field. Making people ��. lives better is what I strive for. From making something that someone can enjoy to something that changes their daily lives,” Quade said.

“It has been incredibly cool to see the process of packaging engineering from start to finish and all the tasks that must be done along the way.”

Quade, of Buffalo, Minnesota, also has an interaction design minor and plans to graduate in spring 2028. She would like to work in product development.

How do you hope to make an impact in your field?

Everyone needs the right tool for the job. I hope to design things that people can interact with and find satisfaction in.

No matter the industry I go into after college, I would like to make things that better people ��. everyday lives. Whether it ��. simply through how they feel about the products they use or how they interact with them, I want people to find use in the items that I help create.

What are your main roles as an intern with Prent Corporation?

As an addition to Prent Corporation ��. product development team, I assist in designing and redesigning thermoformed packaging. Thermoforming is the act of heating up plastic and forming it within a mold.

I have worked on designs for packaging for a heart replacement valve kit and catheter kits. I’ve also helped with the organization of our tool room and am assisting in the prototype lab.

I attend team meetings and company visits, gather customer details, edit drawings and assist other departments involved in the development process.

What do you enjoy most about your internship?

I enjoy the atmosphere of Prent Corporation. Within the hustle and bustle of our busy work hours, they value their employees.

People are very connected throughout departments and communicate easily. This is helped by the fact that each building is connected, allowing people to walk over to other departments with concerns they have. They also put on events for employees. I attended a baseball game between the Beloit Sky Carp and the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

What is challenging about your internship, and how do you face those challenges?

I found communication to be hard upon starting my internship. I worked through this by asking who others were and who I should reach out to in different situations. Most people I work with directly are housed in the same building. I can walk over and ask questions in a straightforward way. This decreases the response time and leaves less room for misunderstanding.

How will your courses and experiences at Stout help you make an impact in your career?

I believe that my courses at Stout will help me achieve my goals in the future. Fashion Without Fabric stands out to me the most when I think of my learning at Stout. Like many of my courses at Stout, FWOF challenged me to think outside the box.

PHOTO ESSAY: Behind the Curtain

We all fear and we all love...something. Take a peek behind the scenes of a legendary art school project: Fashion Without Fabric.

(FWOF is the School of Art & Design ��. crowd-favorite runway show, where hundreds of 3D Design course students work in teams to create unconventional fashions.)

Solutions can be hard to find, but taking a different way to look at them is always helpful. The FWOF assignment also represented the challenges that you must get past for the final result. Working with hard materials can be compared to working with hard people, hard circumstances, or simply with yourself. Learning to understand your strengths and weaknesses is the first step toward tackling any challenge.

Industrial & Product Design

All Industrial & Product Design News

PHOTO ESSAY: ‘Good Design is Invisible’

Industrial & Product Design students combine engineer-thinking and artistic expression

January 7, 2026

Co-op Q&A: Izabelle Quade, Prent Corporation, Janesville

‘Making people ��. lives better is what I strive for.’

October 7, 2025

Campus color: Alumni demonstrate industry leadership at Design Wisconsin event at ��

Pros from Sherwin-Williams, Red Wing Shoe among presenters at fourth annual conference

July 15, 2025

‘Making people ��. lives better is what I strive for.’ Izabelle Quade at Prent Corporation

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Campus color: Alumni demonstrate industry leadership at Design Wisconsin event at ��

giffeyt — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 17:14:06 +0000

Campus color: Alumni demonstrate industry leadership at Design Wisconsin event at �� giffeyt July 15, 2025

Pros from Sherwin-Williams, Red Wing Shoe among presenters at fourth annual conference

Tom Giffey

More than 200 design professionals – many of them alumni working at prominent firms around the Upper Midwest – came to the University of Wisconsin-Stout campus recently for the fourth annual Design Wisconsin event.

�� – which has the only industrial design program in Universities of Wisconsin and is home to one of the largest public art schools in the Midwest – created Design Wisconsin to celebrate the impact of industrial design and fashion design on Wisconsin ��. culture, commerce, community and brand.

Even though �� is Design Wisconsin ��. founding organization, May 16-18 was the first time the event was brought to campus. Past hosts include Milwaukee Tool in Milwaukee, Trek in Waterloo, and DELVE in Madison. Bringing the event to Menomonie this year provided an opportunity to highlight the �� campus as well as showcase more student work, said Professor Jennifer Astwood, B.F.A. industrial and product design program director.

In addition to keynote presentations by numerous professionals, most of them �� alumni, Design Wisconsin included student portfolio review sessions, product showcases, panel discussions, networking opportunities and workshops.

Design Wisconsin benefits both students and professionals, Astwood said. “To me it was important that people not just hear about the companies, but also about some meaningful topics that speak to the industry at large,” she said. For example, one presentation from Matthew Gueller of Milwaukee Tool and Gregor Mittersinker of Loft Design focused on the use of artificial intelligence in the design process.

Also new this year was a panel discussion featuring talent from several companies – including Trek, Polaris and Ashley Furniture Industries – which focused on navigating the industry.

Next year, Design Wisconsin will once again be held off-campus: It ��. slated for Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh.

�� alum Kiki Redhead, global CMF and trend manager for Sherwin-Williams, was among the industry leaders at Design Wisconsin.

Exploring Color, Material, Finish

Several Design Wisconsin sessions focused on an area of industrial design known as CMF – color, material and finish – a cross-disciplinary approach that addresses the visual and tactile nature of products.

Among the CMF presenters was 2002 UW-stout alumnus Kiki Redhead, global CMF and trend manager for Sherwin-Williams. She described CMF as crossing boundaries between industrial design, graphic design, interior design, textile design and more. Design Wisconsin allowed �� students to network with professionals who work in the field, she noted.

“The students had an opportunity to find out what it really means to have a job where you actually develop color every day or develop different materials or create new finishes from scratch,” said Redhead, who leads Sherwin-Williams’ DesignHouse, a collaborative space in Minneapolis for the company and its industrial clients.

Before she was a leader in the industry, Redhead was a �� undergraduate who gained invaluable skills as an apprentice interior designer for a commercial construction company. “That really gave me a lot of real-world experience, and it was where I really started to apply color to projects and seeing them come to fruition,” she said.

As a professional, Redhead developed and trademarked her own trend methodology, and for a decade operated her own global trend agency, creating colors for everything from cars to cabinetry to cosmetics packaging to clothing. In 2018, she took her current job with Sherwin-Williams, where she combines qualitative and quantitative data to create eye-popping colors and finishes for customers.

Trek was one of the Wisconsin-based firms that took part in Design Wisconsin at ��.

Developing a ‘manufacturing mindset’

Among Redhead ��. DesignHouse colleagues and fellow Design Wisconsin speakers is Brynn Wildenauer, a 2018 B.F.A. industrial design graduate who is now a senior architectural color designer for Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings. That division creates coatings used on appliances, metal building materials and other architectural products. In practice, this means that Wildenauer develops colorful coatings for everything from agricultural buildings to skyscrapers to sports stadiums: One of her most notable projects was working on a color-shifting effect pigment that gives a pearlescent sheen to the exterior of the Kai Tak Sports Park, a massive $4 billion complex that opened this year in Hong Kong.

Wildenauer said her �� education, which included an internship at Ashley Furniture Industries where she saw her designs prototyped, prepared her well for her career. “I really liked having that hands-on approach, and that helped me develop a manufacturing mindset,” she said.

In particular, Wildenauer recalls developing a keen interest in CMF after Professor Erik Evensen wrote that her “color sense seemed promising” on a mid-program review. “I really leaned into that, diving down into the materials that are chosen and why,” she said.

“I find that there are so many opportunities to make a statement with color, textures, finishes, etc.,” she continued. “When color is used in an intentional way, it can increase brand recognition by 80%, which demonstrates the impact of color.”

Wildenauer said she enjoyed returning to campus, something she does periodically as a member of the Program Advisory Committee for the industrial design program. “It ��. really cool to see how important this event is to all the students and those who have graduated from Stout or are heavily involved in Stout ��. programs,” she said.

�� alum Noah Anderson, senior footwear designer at Red Wing Shoe Company, took part in a keynote presentation at Design Wisconsin.

Bridging the gap between design fields

Noah Anderson, a 2013 industrial and product design alum and a senior footwear designer at Red Wing Shoe Company, was one of three alumni working at Red Wing who spoke at the conference. The trio, which included product developer Sarah Noll and pattern engineer Gina Thurk, delivered a keynote about the synergy between footwear and apparel at the Minnesota-based company. Designing shoes bridges the gap between industrial design and apparel design, as well as between what retailers term “soft goods” and “hard goods,” Anderson said.

Anderson said he was impressed to see how �� . design programs are preparing students for such collaborations in the professional world. “I felt encouraged to see specifically how apparel and industrial design were sharing a little bit more of a presentation at Senior Show,” he said. “It was really awesome to interact with students and to see the way that they are interacting with trends in the digital world as well.”

Anderson said he was well-served by his �� education when he began work at Red Wing Shoes in 2014. “I felt very prepared to present ideas, to be in front of the product team and embrace critique,” he said. “Going through the process of design was something I was really familiar with by the time I finished the industrial design program.”

In his career at Red Wing Shoes, Anderson has designed products for several of the historic Minnesota-based company ��. brands.

“It ��. always a new challenge,” Anderson said. “Every project includes new research, new trends and learning about new materials, which I feel like is really the source of what ��. interesting about designing for industry in general.”

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Design Wisconsin

Showcasing the impacts of industrial and product design on Wisconsin's culture, commerce, community, and brand.

Search Keywords: Design WisconsinWisconsin industrial design Wisconsin fashion designWisconsin product design

Hero Caption: Design professionals offered their thoughts about �� students' work during a Portfolio Review at the Design Wisconsin event.

Jennifer Astwood

Teaching Interests: DES 331 – ID3: Product Interface Design (2 sections) DES 231 – ID2: Ergonomics DES 205 – Design Drawing and Concept Visualization ART 256 – Slip-Casting for Designers and Artists DES 231 – ID1: Product Form and Visualization DES 333 – Professional Practice DES 405 – Advanced Presentation Techniques DES 431 – System, Environment, and Context DES 432 – Theory, Society, and Application DES 712 – Sustainable Design Practice SUST 432/632 – Global Sustainability Experience in Design & Manufacturing

Professional Interests: Skills: Creative Problem-Solving Freehand Sketching/Rendering Sketch Model Making Project Management Sewing

Full Name: Jennifer Astwood

Job Title: Associate Dean / Professor / Program Director

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Area of Expertise: Industrial Design Product Design

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Art & Design Design Department

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Curriculum Vitae: Jennifer Astwood CV (48.23 KB)

Education:

Degree: M.F.A. Art & Design

University: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University: Art Center at Night

Degree: B.F.A. Industrial Design

University: University of Illinois Chicago

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Camp-Inn kitchen comfort: Industrial design students develop travel trailer solutions

goersab — Wed, 28 May 2025 12:50:00 +0000

Camp-Inn kitchen comfort: Industrial design students develop travel trailer solutionsgoersab May 28, 2025

Necedah-based camping company supports project with real-world application

Abbey Goers

Summer is approaching, and that means vacation time, with many Americans opting to camp in the great outdoors. And while camping offers a sense of freedom in nature, it often includes adapting to limited living quarters, including learning how to prepare and cook a proper meal.

This spring, �� industrial and product design students in an Ergonomics class developed kitchenette solutions for the Road Toad trailer, made by Camp-Inn, a leader in the niche market of compact teardrop travel trailers.

“Within our Ergonomics lessons, we look at different sized workspaces, such as the kitchen space in the trailer, to understand the human body and its full body movement in a limited space,” said Associate Professor David Richter-O’Connell. “The purpose of this project was for the students to be creative and have fun.”

Mackenzie Bruesewitz, Charlie Kalas, Darik Moilien, Lauren Mescher and Britton Bernhard present their Camp-Inn Road Toad kitchenette mockup

Camp-Inn, located in Necedah, supported the project by lending Richter-O’Connell ��. class a Road Toad model. The teardrop trailer, with a sleeping cabin that holds a queen-sized bed, offers storage space for gear and a kitchen area accessible from the outside rear of the trailer.

‘Projects having a real-world application’

The trailer was loaded into the hallway of the Applied Arts Building – an interesting temporary installation with a length of 11 feet 2 inches and a width of 60.5 inches for the students to reference during their two-week-long project.

Twenty-three students working in five groups designed kitchen spaces that needed to be geared toward a couple of retirement age or a young family. They researched personas, national camping data and created a multiday meal menu, with food, beverages and kitchen items needing storage, refrigeration and cooking.

They also needed to include a water supply and possible electrical supply, cooking surfaces, food preparation areas, and cleanup spaces, while paying attention to food safety and sanitation.

Charlie Kalas and Mackenzie Bruesewitz's sketches of kitchenettes

“In my college days, I remember working on projects that had a real-world application. Those projects gave me a chance to apply the engineering principles I learned in class. They verified the choice of my major and gave me confidence that I could be successful in my chosen profession,” said Craig Edevold, Camp-Inn owner and co-founder.

“I wanted to pass along a similar opportunity to �� students. I was pleased that the Ergonomics students are in their sophomore year. They are early enough in their college education that this experience may help motivate them in their studies and career,” he added.

Richter-O’Connell ��. class has worked with Camp-Inn in past semesters, using the company ��. floor plans as defined workspaces, and Edevold enjoyed seeing the students’ ideas and efforts, he said.

The Road Toad already has a complete kitchen solution. The model loaned to the class was a prototype designed for Camp-Inn employees.

New generations bring new innovations to camping

The Camp-Inn brand targets an older demographic: early retirees and empty nesters, who have more available time and more disposable income. About 98% of customers are over 55 years old. The Road Toad camper was designed about five years ago and was built as a lower priced, entry-level trailer.

Mackenzie Bruesewitz demonstrates the removable sink

“We anticipated that it would attract a younger demographic, due to its lower cost and lower maintenance. Its small size and light weight make it ideal for smaller tow vehicles, including hybrids and electrics. However, Road Toad trailers have resulted in less of an increase in younger customers than anticipated,” Edevold said.

“As a result, I wanted to see what expectations a younger generation would have in a camping trailer. What do they value in a camping experience? Do they value different features than the older generation?” he added.

The first student team to present their kitchenette mockup was:

Britton Bernhard, of Prescott
Mackenzie Bruesewitz, of Hammond
Charlie Kalas, of La Crosse
Lauren Mescher, of New Berlin
Darik Moilien, of Westby

“This project was a fantastic way to understand how people interact with products within their environment and make the best use of space given the Road Toad's sizing constraints,” Bernhard said. “I really appreciate Road Toad and Professor DROC for giving us the opportunity to work with the camper and push us to design the best possible kitchen or product for ergonomics and style.”

In their research, the group found that the number of camping reservations is increasing across the country, with a high number of millennials represented, and that one-third of families find camping with children to be more relaxing than other vacations.

Based on these demographics, they crafted a persona of a young father and his daughter. The father-character enjoyed the outdoors, including hunting and fishing, and wanted to introduce his child to camping.

The group ��. menu included six meals popular with kids, including mac-n-cheese, SpaghettiOs, a breakfast with eggs, bacon and applesauce pouches, and foraged berries for snacks.

Darik Moilien and Lauren Mescher demonstrate the stovetop

Their kitchenette mockup, built with cardboard, featured a power generator, a pull-out gas stove, a pull-out table with adjustable legs, extendable countertops for additional workspace, a dumpable sink with handles, a pull-out dishrack and storage for dishes, a cooler drawer, secured drawers with safety latches, a fold-away canopy, insect-repellent lighting, chairs and additional storage cubbies.

Their digital portfolio included materials such as wood, aluminum, tweed fabric, fiberglass, and a color palette that reflected the soft tones of a forest. They also offered ergonomic views, showing how the kitchenette space would allow for comfortable movements for people ranging in height from 4 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 3 inches tall.

After reviewing the five groups’ project submissions, Edevold saw how different generations have similar wants and needs in the kitchen area of a camping trailer.

“I liked many of the ideas to pull out or extend the work surfaces outside of the trailer body. This enlarges the workspace, allowing room for a second cook or a helper,” he said. “I also liked the ideas of mounting items to the inside of the hatch to easily access those items and move them out of the way, with no added effort.”

Ergonomic views of the kitchenette

Edevold added that he observed generational differences in preferences for a power supply and Wi-Fi availability, explaining that his experience has shown him that older generations use camping to disconnect from electronics and entertainment.

“From this project, it is apparent that younger generations plan to bring electronics with them,” he said. “In the past few years, both the Camp-Inn and Road Toad lines have seen an increase in requests for solar panels, lithium batteries and portable power stations. Generation X and the tail end of the Baby Boomers are more tech-savvy than the earlier Baby Boomers. The desire to bring along more electronics would explain this trend.”

The industrial and product design program is part of the School of Art and Design, one of the largest public art schools in the Midwest. It also offers bachelor ��. degrees in animation and digital media; fashion design and development; game design and development-art; graphic design and interactive media; illustration; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, as well as an M.F.A. in design. �� also has a new program in game and media studies.

Industrial & Product Design

All Industrial & Product Design News

PHOTO ESSAY: ‘Good Design is Invisible’

Industrial & Product Design students combine engineer-thinking and artistic expression

January 7, 2026

Co-op Q&A: Izabelle Quade, Prent Corporation, Janesville

‘Making people ��. lives better is what I strive for.’

October 7, 2025

Campus color: Alumni demonstrate industry leadership at Design Wisconsin event at ��

Pros from Sherwin-Williams, Red Wing Shoe among presenters at fourth annual conference

July 15, 2025

Necedah-based camping company supports project with real-world application Camp-Inn kitchenette presentation

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Inspiring Graduate: Jewel Fredrickson, B.F.A. Industrial & Product Design

goersab — Wed, 14 May 2025 17:55:54 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Jewel Fredrickson, B.F.A. Industrial & Product Designgoersab May 14, 2025

‘The number one goal I have is to design products that make a positive impact on people ��. lives.’

Inspiring Graduate: Jewel Fredrickson (’25)

Hometown: Boyd
Degree: B.F.A. Industrial & Product Design

Before crossing the commencement stage for a second time at ��, Jewel Fredrickson was hired prior to graduation as an asset specialist at WB Manufacturing, in Thorp.

Jewel Fredrickson receives her diploma from Chancellor Frank.

She had earned her B.S. art education in 2020 and was teaching art at Thorp High School, when she decided to return for her degree in industrial and product design.

“I knew what to expect coming back. My previous experience gave me professors who I knew cared about me and wanted to see me succeed. I got the same experience in the industrial design program. The professors push you to create your best work, and classes are set up for real-world experience, whether it is classroom exercises or sponsored projects for industry companies,” Fredrickson said.

Fredrickson, of Boyd, earned her bachelor ��. in industrial and product design on May 10, along with 1,174 �� graduates.

At WB Manufacturing, Fredrickson will produce product renderings of casework, tables, desks, and tops, and prepare the rendered images for print and publications.

“The company was able to see through my portfolio and the work I created at Stout that I was the right candidate for the job,” she said.

“The number one goal I have is to design products that make a positive impact on people ��. lives through the products they use.”

How has �� prepared you to work in your field?

The most impactful experience I had at Stout that prepared me for my field was my senior fall semester sponsored studio project. I had the opportunity to work with a real company designing a new product for their current line. Throughout this experience, I was faced with deadlines, research, critiques, and working with engineers to understand and develop a quality product.

Jewel Fredrickson displays a collection of her designs in the Industrial and Product Design Lab.

The final part of this experience was to present all my work from the semester to a panel of professionals within the sponsor company. The entire semester gave me a realistic understanding of how the design process works, the importance of collaboration in a team and how to pitch designs.

What stands out about your �� experience?

The professors at �� are at a different level. I had such a positive experience with all educators, from general education to individual major professors. Educators here want students to excel in whatever field they are heading into.

They push you to do your best and make time to meet with you when any road bumps or struggles occur. And one cannot forget about the people who run the labs like �� . Materials and Process Lab and Fab Lab. Without the expertise of the people running those labs, projects wouldn’t get done and learning wouldn’t happen in the hands-on experience that Stout is known for.

During my art education degree, I received second place in the 2018 Fashion Without Fabric for our design “Garden of Eden,” created with Hailey Pfister.

Jewel Fredrickson celebrates at spring commencement.

What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them?

With my B.F.A. being my second undergrad, I came back to college older than my peers. I had to relearn how to socialize with college students. This, in turn, helped me develop better communication skills and inclusion practices to have both a productive learning experience for myself and my peers.

What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?

As I finish my degree, I reflect on the success I have had as an industrial design student.

Since day one, I came in with the goal to give this degree everything I’ve got.

The very first project I completed was a fan concept inspired by a bird of paradise flower. During the final phases of the appearance model, I had a runny paint job that was less than desirable. Instead of leaving the mistake as good enough, I took the weekend to sand off all the botched paint and repaint my model to a result I was proud of.

I carried that mentality with me through the rest of my degree and it earned me first place in a sponsored project, an Industrial Designers Society of America Student Merit Award nomination and a job before graduation.

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‘The number one goal I have is to design products that make a positive impact on people ��. lives.’ Jewel Fredrickson, Commencement

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Room & Board competition offers industrial design seniors spotlight for innovative storage solutions

goersab — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 15:27:05 +0000

Room & Board competition offers industrial design seniors spotlight for innovative storage solutionsgoersab April 22, 2025

Sroga, Nguyen, Gilbertson win top prizes for original designs

Abbey Goers

For nine years, Room & Board has partnered exclusively with �� . B.F.A. industrial and product design program for its annual student design competition.

Senior industrial design students are challenged each year with a unique prompt to create a piece of furniture for Room & Board that seamlessly fits into the company ��. existing aesthetic and brand. This spring ��. project focused on storage solutions and could include concepts in various categories, including media, dining, living, entry, bathroom and kitchen systems.

“The project has been a wonderful yearly event and has allowed us to create a meaningful connection with the industrial design community while exposing us to some great talent,” said Brian Linehan, �� alum and Room & Board merchandise and design manager, who started the competition.

After a fast-paced, three-week-long project, students presented their final designs at Room & Board corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, where their 1/8-scale 3D-printed models are showcased.

Room & Board storage competition design "Declan" by Addie Evans

Three winners were selected and awarded a cash prize in exchange for the rights to produce their designs if they choose. Designs are evaluated on the practicality of manufacturing and cost restraints. This year ��. winners were:

First place, $1,500: Sadie Sroga, of Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota: design “Vera”
Second place, $1,000: Moc Chau Nguyen, of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam: design “Ravi”
Third place, $500: Bailey Gilbertson, of Elk Mound: design “Ingrid”

“The project gave me a real sense of what it ��. like to design for production in a professional setting,” Sroga said. “It pushes you to work efficiently and think critically about every design decision. It ��. a great challenge that gives you a taste of working under real-world timelines while still allowing for a lot of creativity. Knowing the winning design could potentially go into production made it feel even more meaningful.

“Getting to work with a company like Room & Board made the experience even more special. Their commitment to sustainability, timeless design and thoughtful craftsmanship really resonated with me,” she added.

Room & Board sells modern furnishings designed to last, crafted by 12,000 craftspeople across the U.S. It makes an annual donation to support �� . industrial design program.

“This project allows senior design students to show what their capabilities are in a short amount of time. We’re grateful for the opportunity to work with the designers at Room & Board,” Program Director Jennifer Astwood said.

School of Art & Design Senior Show

Capstone projects by approximately 100 graduating seniors will be on display, providing a chance to talk with the artists and designers.

Nearly 120 graduating School of Art and Design seniors will feature their capstone projects at SOAD Senior Show, 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 9. Meet with students and talk about their creative works in exhibits throughout Applied Arts and Micheels Hall. Fine art sales will be held throughout the buildings. The Student Artist-in-Residence reception will be held in Furlong Gallery.

Storage inspired by simplicity

Sroga and Gilbertson, who will graduate on Saturday, May 10, both created media cabinets inspired by the Scandinavian design principles of simplicity, functionality, use of natural materials and visual harmony.

“I was drawn to how Scandinavian furniture can feel both grounding and elevated at the same time. I wanted ‘Vera’ to evoke a sense of calm and quiet beauty in the living space,” Sroga said. “One of my main design philosophies is ‘less is more,’ and that really shaped how I approached ‘Vera.’ Since it ��. meant for a living room, I wanted it to blend in seamlessly with someone ��. home while still feeling special. At first glance, ‘Vera’ is clean and simple, but the closer you look, the more you notice the details.”

Each of Sroga ��. design choices was intentional, from how the wood grain was laid out to how the pieces connect. “My goal was to create something that feels easy and effortless, but is actually full of careful design decisions,” she added.

Room & Board storage competition design "Sartell" by Lauren Chukel

Gilbertson thinks the challenge encouraged innovation and creativity. “The name ‘Ingrid’ is derived from the word ‘integrated,’ reflecting how the center shelf and legs are seamlessly incorporated into the overall design. The piece emphasizes clean lines, minimalist style and practical functionality,” she said.

Working in the Senior Industrial Design Studio, students began the creative process by researching Room & Board ��. design language, brand values, use of materials, and current trends to see where there might be room to create something fresh, Sroga said.

They then moved on to ideation and sketches “to explore as many ideas as possible. The first round was all about pushing creativity without limitations,” she said.

After building small-scale models of their top designs, they each selected a final concept and constructed full-size prototypes out of cardboard.

Room & Board merchandising and design team members, all �� alums, worked with students throughout the process, providing guidance and offering constructive feedback during an in-progress critique before their final design presentations at Room & Board.

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Sroga, Nguyen, Gilbertson win top prizes for original designs Room and Board design, Declan by Addie Evans

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Hero Caption: Room & Board storage competition design "Tremont" by Jake Banasik

Jennifer Astwood

Full Name: Jennifer Astwood

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‘Disquiet Dream’ by industrial design student featured at Rassbach Museum ��. haunted house exhibit

goersab — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 16:37:20 +0000

‘Disquiet Dream’ by industrial design student featured at Rassbach Museum ��. haunted house exhibitgoersab October 21, 2024

Van der Hagen ��. massive dream-inspired deer sculpture brings joy, wonder in the face of dread

Abbey Goers

What if emotions could manifest themselves? What if we could give them a name and a face? Would depression, anxiety or loneliness be easier to battle?

Renae van der Hagen ��. sculpture “Disquiet Dream” begs to ask these questions. Her sculpture – a giant deer on stilted legs – looms a daunting 15 feet tall. His antlers, with tines like sprawling fingers, span 10 feet across. His mouth gapes wide with bone-white fangs and flicking tongue.

Van der Hagen, an industrial and product design senior at ��, has been drawing and writing down her dreams for years.

Renae van der Hagen, industrial design student / ��

She calls “Disquiet Dream” her anxiety monster, inspired by a vivid dream, and drew him when she was still half asleep, capturing her anxious feeling on paper.

Through the first week of November, the sculpture greets guests at the entrance to the Menomonie Rassbach Museum ��. Historic Haunted Houses exhibit, a gathering of miniature haunted houses made by community members.

Each haunted house tells a story, and visitors can vote on their favorites in the art and creative writing display.

The museum will have a family-friendly Halloween event called Treats on the Trail from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26.

On Halloween, Thursday Oct. 31, it will host a Creepy Creature Double Feature movie night that is for ages 18+, with a showing of "Night of the Living Dead" and "Scream." More information on both events is on the museum's website calendar.

“Disquiet Dream” will be displayed through November.

“This sculpture is a perfect addition to the exhibit, as it is not only creepy and incredibly eye-catching, Renae also built it with common materials that can inspire visitors of all ages to see that art is accessible and can be made with almost anything,” said Melissa Kneeland, executive director of the Dunn County Historical Society, which operates the museum.

A loveable beast on display

Renae van der Hagen assembling 'Disquiet Dream' / Doug Stodola

The pandemic struck during van der Hagen ��. first year at college. She didn’t have a roommate, and being away from home, felt isolation and constant anxiety.

“In my dream, this creature is standing behind me, above me, and I’m like, ‘Doesn’t anyone see this thing?’” she said. “He ��. my anxiety monster because nobody else can see him, but I can feel him. Four years later, I’ve gotten used to some anxiety, but he ��. always there. He ��. still looming, but he ��. not as scary.”

Van der Hagen, of Sauk Rapids, Minn., brought her anxiety monster to life in Professor Kelly O’Brien ��. Contemporary Sculpture class in fall 2023.

“I wanted to create a scale model, but Kelly said, ‘Make him full size,’” she said, and so the massive, mythical beast manifested in the School of Art and Design ��. studio lab spaces.

Deano Samens, instrument shop coordinator; and Doug Stodola, machinist, helped van der Hagen build the sculpture ��. frame in the shop before moving it to the Process Lab, where she completed her creation in less than three weeks.

He ��. made of 2x4 boards, chicken wire, papier mâché and cardboard. Sheets spread under the sculpture represent the dream world.

“I came in after hours to complete him. Doug helped with the build. I did the head at home with cardboard. He ��. pretty delicate, even for his size,” she said. “The longest stint I worked on him was for 16 hours straight. My roommate brought me pizza. There aren’t any windows in the lab, so you lose track of time.”

Classes with clients: Steel cows, other designs by 60+ students support four businesses

Based on the reactions at a twine-cutting ceremony, the designs of three cow sculptures outside the new Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery are spot on.

This was van der Hagen ��. first large-scale project. Her second large-scale project – a set of three cow sculptures, completed with a team of students, faculty and staff, including Samens – was recently installed on the lawn outside the new Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery cheese factory in Menomonie.

“During our class critique, Kelly said she didn’t like how white his teeth are. But I explained that he doesn’t eat anything. He doesn’t have to. So, there wouldn’t be any wear or dirt on his teeth,” she said.

“Disquiet Dreams” first appeared outside of the lab when Samens and Stodola talked to coordinators at the university ��. Furlong Gallery and asked to have him as part of the fall 2023 SOAD Senior Show. He stood on the second floor of the gallery atrium and received such a grand response from viewers that he remained there through the spring 2024 show, when van der Hagen ��. family was able to visit and see her sculpture.

'Disquiet Dream' is part of the Historic Haunted Houses exhibit / ��

“I didn’t think he would live longer than the class critique. I was ready to dismantle him,” van der Hagen said. “But there were so many people talking about him and taking pictures of him. It was one of the most interactions we’ve had with a sculpture piece at Furlong.”

Van der Hagen worked with Samens and Stodola over the summer, when the museum reached out with interest in having “Disquiet Dream” installed for the haunted house exhibit.

“I’m very grateful that Doug and Deano helped me: one, in the building process; two, in moving the sculpture to Furlong; and three, in getting in contact with the museum and moving him there.”

Collaboration and community

Van der Hagen thinks collaboration is an absolutely important aspect of public art and industrial design.

“You have to know people, and those people have to know people,” she said. “It takes a community to help push out art so others can see it. Kelly, Deano and Doug – I have amazing people who push me to present pieces for the public instead of just for a class.”

The Rassbach Museum collaborates with �� students on several levels – from research, design and engineering projects to showcasing student art. For example, master ��. in design graduate Jackson Yang ��. thesis exhibit Intergenerational Threads and Klaire Johnson ��. and Emma Walstra ��. Fashion Without Fabric design “The Prime Divine” are currently on display.

'Disquiet Dream's' antlers measure 10 feet across / Doug Stodola

“It allows the museum to benefit from the fresh and creative ideas of students, along with providing a testing ground for student work,” Kneeland said. “Oftentimes, the remarkable accomplishments of students are not seen off of campus, while at the museum, their work can be enjoyed by and inspire members of the wider community.

“I also believe that collaboration with nonprofits shows students how important and valuable participating in community collaboration can be, no matter where they end up,” she added.

Van der Hagen has thought about making “Disquiet Dream” again in the future, in a smaller size. After the exhibit has closed, she plans to mount the sculpture ��. head. It may be placed next to the hippogriff sculpture, “Buckbeak,” at the museum as part of a future fantastical animal exhibit. “Buckbeak” was created by a studio art graduate Anna Strong in 2017 and stood in the Furlong atrium for some time before its installation at the museum.

Van der Hagen began her college career in the mechanical engineering program but was also looking into graphic design. She decided to switch majors during the pandemic. “With industrial design, I get the creative side and the making of things. It took me a bit to find it, but I love it.”

She will graduate in spring 2025 and would like to work in the ideation process and modeling, taking designs and making 3D physical models.

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Classes with clients: Steel cows, other designs by 60+ students support four businesses

polingj — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 16:36:09 +0000

Classes with clients: Steel cows, other designs by 60+ students support four businessespolingj October 4, 2024

Projects make career connections while collaborating with Ellsworth Creamery, Great Northern Corp., Room & Board

Based on the reactions from guests at a twine-cutting ceremony, the designs of three cow sculptures on the lawn outside the new Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery cheese factory in Menomonie are spot-on.

The life-size Holstein creations, made of stainless steel pipes and stainless steel sheeting, indeed have classic Wisconsin dairy cow features — big spots, floppy ears and even cowbells hanging from their necks as they take familiar positions, one grazing, one resting and one, a calf, standing.

The ceremony in September celebrated the culmination of a yearlong collaborative project with the creamery and ��. It also capped off spring projects in which more than 60 students from the School of Art and Design — along with packaging and engineering majors — experienced firsthand their future careers by working with actual clients.

Officials from Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery and �� celebrate the completion of cow sculptures at the new Menomonie plant with a twine-cutting. / ��

“This project really shows what we’re about at Stout as a polytechnic university,” said Chancellor Katherine Frank, who spoke at the ceremony. “Our students apply their learning and work through challenges with business and industry partners to bring their creative ideas to life.”

The cows are made of recycled material, part of the creamery ��. sustainability goals to eliminate waste: the pipes left over from building the facility are the “bones”; thin sections cut from the pipes, or rings, welded together make up much of the “hides”; fabricated pieces of the sheeting, from a processing trough where cheese is stirred and separated from whey, are the “spots,” “ears” and “heads.”

The hundreds of rings took three to six minutes each to cut and debur.

“The project took a lot more time than I thought it would, but it also was a lot more fun. It was a great project to bring into the classroom,” said Renae van der Hagen, of St. Cloud, Minn., a senior in industrial and product design.

Renae van de Hagen, a senior in industrial and product design, was one of five students who worked on the project. / ��

Project timing was perfect for van der Hagen: She was taking a welding class with Assistant Professor Nathan Spike, engineering and technology, when the opportunity came up, and she had a sculpture class the semester before. However, she didn’t have experience with stainless steel. “There were a lot of learning curves there for the design process,” she said.

She was one of five seniors on the fabrication team, along with Dominick Konkel, of Hokah, Minn., mechanical engineering; and three other industrial and product design majors, Sam Bachofen, of Waterford; Bryan Irish, of Hazelhurst; and Daniel Neve, of Mound, Minn.

Along with the students, Deano Samens, instrument shop coordinator in the Process Lab of School of Art and Design, and Spike helped fabricate the cows in a lab. The team made wispy tails of steel cable, and the cows’ heads rotate.

The three sculptures were made from stainless steel pipe and sheeting. / ��

“It takes a little vision to look at a pile of pipe and think, ‘Hey, what if we make some cows out of this?’ Samens told the several dozen people who gathered on the lawn next to the cows — a place for future customer photo opportunities. “There was a whole lot of cutting, torching and bending, welding and grinding mixed with sheer tenacity to bring this family of cows to fruition.”

The group visited Joel and Mindy Eckert ��. Bountival Farm near Menomonie to get cow measurements and a better feel for what they were about to create.

A template of a cow head was created prior to cutting the steel for it. / ��

Original concepts for the cows were created in a fall 2023 class, Design Theory and Methods, taught by Dan Banasik. More than 20 students first made scale models of their ideas, then full-scale models out of cardboard. The ideas were reviewed and narrowed down by Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery before production began.

The three sculptures were made from stainless steel pipe and sheeting. / ��

“These sculptures are a wonderful reflection of how we come together to approach challenges at the Ellsworth Creamery Cooperative with innovation and collaboration,” said John Freeman, assistant director of marketing for the company. “It ��. incredible to see the �� students use their imagination and skills to turn what might be considered scrap metal into a work of art.”

Ellsworth ��. Menomonie plant produces block cheese while the Ellsworth plant makes the company ��. famous curds, although all cheese begins as curds, Freeman said. The new facility, which is on Highway B just north of Interstate 94, includes a retail shop with food service, a cheese production viewing area and a patio area with the cow sculptures.

The project was coordinated through �� . Office of Corporate Relations and Economic Engagement, led by Executive Director Seth Hudson; and Professor Tamara Brantmeier in the Provost ��. Office and School of Art and Design.

Hudson, Brantmeier, Frank and Provost Glendalí Rodríguez initiated talks with the creamery about using university expertise to engage on projects, resulting in the creamery suggesting the sculpture project. Brantmeier identified key faculty and staff members, including Samens and Spike, to lead the work.

“We worked closely with the OCREE team, which offers amazing support for external partner projects like these,” Brantmeier said.

Through OCREE, �� continues to seek projects from industry and community partners that can be brought into the classroom. Learn more here.

Product displays for Great Northern and Athena Club

Last spring, students from the graphic design and interactive media program paired with packaging majors to take on a dual challenge: Help Great Northern Corp. develop product displays for one of its clients, Athena Club of New York.

Athena Club makes women ��. razor kits and other self-care essentials. It began as an online company and is expanding to retail sales. Great Northern designs and manufactures retail product displays.

Students present their Athena Club product display solutions to Great Northern Corp. and Athena Club representatives on campus. / ��

Fifteen packaging and 10 graphic design student, five teams, worked throughout the spring semester, from ideation to presenting their final concepts during presentations on campus. Great Northern and Athena Club officials, who worked virtually and in person with students as the projects progressed, attended the presentations and provided feedback.

Students designed new product packaging for the razor kits and refill kits along with the vertical display cases, ranging from 5 to 7 feet tall, that held the products. Packaging students created the packaging and display structures; graphic design students made them appealing.

They had to consider market research, brand, user experience, structural design — will the display case be easy to ship and set up for retailers and hold enough product without collapsing? — and other factors.

Students present their Athena Club product display solutions to Great Northern Corp. and Athena Club representatives on campus. / ��

Ashley Jandro is a Master of Fine Arts in design major and earned a bachelor ��. in 2022 from �� in graphic design with a focus on 2D advertising concepts. “This project made me think in a 3D world, about user experience, how people interact with a product and why,” Jandro said.

Plus, working with packaging engineers and with a real client presented additional learning curves that she said have made her a better designer.

Great Northern employs about 30 �� alumni. The Appleton-based company manufactures packaging and retail displays and has operations in ﬁve states, with Wisconsin locations in Appleton, Chippewa Falls and Racine. It has more than 1,700 employees.

In 2020, the company committed $100,000 in funding toward the sponsored course, to be held multiple times over four years. This year, it committed another $100,000. The gifts for the course have been coordinated through Stout University Foundation.

Packaging program director and Associate Professor Min DeGruson and Professor Nagesh Shinde from the graphic design program led the course, a senior capstone for packaging and an advanced design selective for graphic design students. “It ��. really a challenging project for students, but at the end of the day they learn a lot,” DeGruson said.

Students present their furniture concepts at Room & Board. / ��

Furniture concepts for Room & Board

In an industrial and product design senior capstone course taught by Lecturer Emily Pieper, 28 students developed 28 accent piece concepts for Room & Board during a three-week project.

Designers from the Minneapolis company came to �� to kick off the project and visited again two weeks later. Then, students went to Room & Board to present their final ideas, including gallery-style posters detailing their design process and 1/16th scale models of their designs. The models were 3D-printed.

A student discusses his furniture concepts. / ��

Several of the students’ ideas could become the basis for new Room & Board products.

“This project taught me a lot,” said Kate Dieckman, who revealed a coffee table design idea during student presentations at the headquarters of furniture-maker Room & Board in Minneapolis. “I learned that the client's opinion is what truly matters and hitting their goals trumps my own.”

Dieckman, a senior from Menomonie, designed a midcentury modern coffee table. “The objective to create an accent piece of furniture that could seamlessly integrate with the existing Room and Board collection and brand aesthetic,” she said.

“Room and Board ��. design restrictions were based around aesthetics and trying not to reinvent the wheel. Research of the company had to be done to understand what they were aiming for. Their brand is known to be high quality, long-lasting and simple timeless styles. Due to this, our designs reflected that and were simple in form but elevated in details like joinery,” Dieckman said.

###

Based on the reactions at a twine-cutting ceremony, the designs of three cow sculptures outside the new Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery are spot on. Cow sculptures Renae

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Phillips-Medisize honored by UW and �� with Regents Business Partnership Award

Phillips-Medisize was recognized by the Universities of Wisconsin and �� with the Regents Business Partnership Award.

Seth Hudson

Seth Hudson was announced as the new leader on Thursday, July 28, by Chancellor Katherine Frank. He will direct �� . Discovery Center, including the Manufacturing Outreach Center, Stout Technology and Business Park, and a comprehensive range of industry, applied research, technical assistance and technology transfer efforts of the university.

Hudson has bachelor ��. degrees in political science and economics from the University of Southern Maine.

"I am looking forward to growing �� . existing partnerships in order to expand the relationships between students, faculty, staff and Wisconsin ��. business community,” he said.

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�� industrial design students handcraft furniture using historic brass fixtures

goersab — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 17:14:17 +0000

�� industrial design students handcraft furniture using historic brass fixturesgoersab July 24, 2024

Harvey Hall grate project highlighted at public unveiling event July 30

Abbey Goers

Four students at �� helped breathe new life into 108-year-old architectural fixtures.

Over the course of a year, they handcrafted new furniture pieces, incorporating brass register grates – components from the university ��. historic Harvey Hall – into two side tables.

The Harvey Hall grate project was a cross-campus collaboration, as industrial and product design Program Director Jennifer Astwood guided the students, with support of Dean of College of Arts and Human Sciences Maria Alm and University Archivist Heather Stecklein.

“When trying to figure out ways to honor the legacy of the building, we wanted to offer students a special project, something outside of the scope of what could be accomplished in classroom time,” Alm said. “With the polytechnic nature of the project, we could also be true to that legacy of Stout and our mission of hands-on learning. Making furniture aligns with that. This was a major learning experience that echoes the history of design at the university.”

A close-up of a hand-turned white oak table leg, designed by Annamarie Burch / ��

Industrial and product design students involved in the project were:

Annamarie Burch, ideation team, a senior from Plover
Jordan Jentsch, ideation team, a spring 2024 graduate from West Bend
Amelia Dobbratz, fabrication team, a senior from Waupun
Ethan Romo, fabrication team, a senior from Minneapolis

Through research, several ideation designs, hours in the fabrication process and collaboration with local businesses, they delivered professional-level, quality products.

Astwood appreciates Alm ��. and Stecklein ��. support. “We couldn’t have done this without Maria and Heather. It takes good mentors like them who trust in the possibility of what could happen, especially since we hadn’t done a project like this before,” she said.

Stecklein believes the students’ applied research and hands-on fabrication process is a direct continuity of history at ��.

“It echoes the designs and experiences of their academic ancestors. Our students today are engaged in their education, just as they have been since the founding of the university,” she said.

Annamarie Burch's ornate design includes eight uniquely shaped legs and glass top to accentuate the brass grate / ��

The grates were in the university ��. original library, which was on the first floor of Harvey Hall from its opening in 1916, to 1954 when a separate library building opened.

The finished tables are now fixtures in the CAHS dean ��. conference room—a space rich in history, as it once served as President Lorenzo Dow Harvey's office.

An unveiling event, open to the public, will be from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30, in Harvey Hall 355. Astwood and Stecklein will introduce the project and student teams. The dean ��. conference room, Harvey Hall 170, will be open before the event from 3 to 3:30 p.m. and after from 4:15 to 4:30 p.m. for viewing of the project. Alm will be available to answer questions. Those unable to attend in person may join virtually via Microsoft Teams.

The pieces will also be on display at the Polytechnic Summit, when the global event returns to �� May 18-21, 2025, kicking off the university ��. Year of Design celebration.

The project was funded by donations to the CAHS, including gifts made at the time of the building renovation to highlight historic projects related to Harvey Hall. Contact the dean ��. office to schedule a viewing: cahs@uwstout.edu.

Echoing their academic ancestors

Last fall semester, Burch and Jentsch researched different eras of furniture and design concepts and how aesthetics have changed. They visited Design Within Reach, a modern furniture company in Edina, Minn., to see recent and upcoming trends.

Jordan Jentsch's design is mid-century modern. Resembling a small podium, it displays the brass grate in front / ��

Referring often to Stecklein ��. expertise, they viewed archival photographs of furniture at ��, including student-designed, custom-made furniture crafted for specific spaces and purposes on campus.

Examples included tables used in a millinery classroom, with custom drawers and leaves that folded out; as well as the circulation desk in the Harvey Hall library and two tables that are now in the Archives’ reading room.

More recently, in 2019, students built five historic-themed benches that now adorn Harvey Hall corridors, each inscribed with one of the university ��. five historic names: Stout Manual Training School, Stout Institute, Stout State College, Stout State University and ��, with fonts appropriate for the time periods. The project was funded by private donations.

“Students have designed and fabricated a prolific number of products to be used by their fellow students in various campus spaces,” Astwood said. “One set of students might say, ‘We need this piece to help us do this,’ and another set of students creates it just so.”

Annamarie Burch's side table ideations / Annamarie Burch

For the side table designs for the dean ��. conference room, Burch and Jentsch noted the golden yellow and cream color palette, oaken structures and geometric floor patterns, and the shape of light fixtures in Harvey Hall.

Burch ��. research delved into the ornateness of the historical pieces she viewed from the turn of the century and early 1900s. Her digital design iterations included eight uniquely shaped legs – four to serve as the base and support the lower shelf and grate and four to support the glass tabletop. The glass allows the grate to be viewed from above.

“It was obvious from the get-go that Annamarie ��. initial design was going to be the final one crafted, with some small adjustments in her renderings. She played off the rules of design and had fun with it,” Astwood said.

Jentsch was interested in what art and design looked like at �� in the 1950s and 1960s. Her iterations were more contemporary, featuring a mid-century modern look, similar to aspects from the university ��. second library space in what is now the Vocational Rehabilitation building.

Jordan Jentsch's side table ideations / Jordan Jentsch

Her design, which resembles a small podium, originally had a front frame to hold the grate. The front stood parallel with the back frame. But if the frames were left parallel, the weight of the grate would tip the table forward on its face.

They worked to tilt the front frame so the grate would sit at an angle, adjusting the table ��. center of gravity to keep it from tipping. Her table would include a glass top to celebrate the grate.

With the digital renderings complete, the project was ready for the next step.

Turning the tables to bring history to life

Dobbratz and Romo began the build process at the start of the spring 2024 semester.

As lab monitors in the university ��. Materials and Process Lab in Applied Arts, assisting their peers with woodworking and metalwork machinery, tools and projects, Dobbratz and Romo are familiar with the shop.

“Amelia spearheaded the fabrication process and sourcing to make sure that Annamarie ��. and Jordan ��. designs became reality,” Astwood said.

Amelia Dobbratz gluing and clamping oak frames in the Process Lab / Jennifer Astwood

“As third-year industrial design students, we have skills and experience in prototyping. But I had never built something from raw material before. This was my first experience making a professional-level piece,” said Dobbratz, for whom the project served as an independent study.

Dobbratz and Romo worked with three local companies to source their materials:

Schmitt Timber, in Spring Valley, provided raw-cut white oak lumber.
White City Glass, in Menomonie, produced the glass panes for the tabletops.
Steel Towne, in Elk Mound, produced the brass feet needed for Jentsch ��. design.

They jointed and planed the raw-cut oak to quarter-inch boards. But they didn’t realize how the shop humidity would affect the wood, which warped and needed to be jointed and planed again to re-create a flat face before being cut to length, glued and clamped.

Dobbratz created eight stencils for the legs of Burch ��. design. She turned the legs individually on a lathe, using a caliper to measure the progress as the wood rounded under the blade.

“My hands were cramping while gluing and clamping oak blocks together,” she said. “And turning takes time. The bigger base legs took two hours each to turn. Oak is a very hard wood, and I had to continually sharpen the tools.”

Jentsch ��. design was more difficult to construct because of the tilted angle of the front face. Romo re-created the curve with a router and used heavy brass feet to weigh down the bottom of the table.

“This project helped us learn to advocate for ourselves, connect with local businesses, learn to do through mistakes, ask questions and research,” Dobbratz said. “Where now so many things are prefabricated, we got to start from scratch and live the whole process. I enjoyed it all.”

Ethan Romo planing oak boards in the Process Lab / Jennifer Astwood

“All the students were wonderful to work with,” Astwood said. “What ��. great about a student-teacher relationship is that we trust each other and can push back and forth on ideas. Here at Stout, we’re trying to make people that can work and solve problems together. It ��. one thing to design something; it ��. another to manufacture it. These students made it happen.”

Dobbratz received the Merit Award at �� . third annual Design Wisconsin event, held at Milwaukee Tool this spring. Dobbratz presented three products she designed, a lamp, a hearing device and a table. The award is sponsored by the Milwaukee chapter of the Industrial Designers Society of America.

Honoring the Harvey Hall legacy

The basis for the grate project began more than a decade ago during the Harvey Hall renovation, when they were nearly discarded. The renovation ��. aim was to update building systems and create classrooms with modern technologies to encourage applied learning, while preserving historic spaces, such as the theater.

Before the building was emptied for renovation, Alm and Facilities Management Associate Director Zenon Smolarek walked through to decide what nonessential items should be salvaged. The brass grates were two of the items.

John Walter, a custodian lead in Harvey Hall, took the grates home and painstakingly removed layers of white paint that had covered the brass, and cleaned and polished them in his free time. He returned one grate to Alm when the renovation was completed in 2016, the building ��. 100th anniversary.

Walter retired from �� in 2020 and returned the second grate in spring 2023.

“The Harvey Hall grate project would never have happened without John. Cleaning the historic pieces was a labor of love. It held a personal meaning for him with his ties to the building and deep roots in the community,” Alm said.

Further details on the project can be found in the University Library ��. Institutional Repository, an online collection of theses, capstone projects, research and design projects available freely to the public.

A QR code to a permalink for the repository record will be engraved on a brass plate on each piece of furniture and will include the design records, photographs and this article, available to anyone who scans the code for years to come.

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Hero Caption: Students designed and fabricated two side tables, incorporating brass register grates from historic Harvey Hall.

Jennifer Astwood

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Design Wisconsin coming to �� in 2025; student wins Merit Award during event at Milwaukee Tool

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Design Wisconsin coming to �� in 2025; student wins Merit Award during event at Milwaukee Toolpolingj May 30, 2024

University ��. third annual statewide celebration of design featured state companies, products, professionals

Design professionals from around Wisconsin representing some of the state ��. biggest and best-known brands gathered May 18 in Milwaukee for �� . third annual Design Wisconsin.

The event was hosted by Milwaukee Tool at its headquarters and supported by the Milwaukee chapter of the Industrial Designers Society of America. It featured displays by Milwaukee Tool and more than 20 other companies that have made Wisconsin a leader in industrial and product design, including Mercury, Kohler, Gulfstream, Oshkosh Corp., National Presto, Trek, Brooks Stevens and Fiskars.

��, which started the event in 2022 under the direction School of Art and Design Associate Professor David Richter-O’Connell, announced that it will host Design Wisconsin on campus in May of 2025.

Guests at Design Wisconsin check out a product design display. / ��

“As our industrial and product design program serves many employers beyond Wisconsin borders, we decided to hold next spring's event here on the Stout campus and include many of our great design/manufacture partners in northern and western Wisconsin and Minnesota. The impact of our I&PD program reaches regional, national and international levels, and we feel it's important to keep telling the story of our ever-expanding outreach,” Richter-O’Connell said.

Richter-O’Connell, who previously worked for Kohler, started the event to “showcase the impact of industrial design and industrial designers on Wisconsin ��. culture, commerce, community and brand — past, present and future. Wisconsin is an important hub of global new product innovation and development, across many diverse product categories, and we want to keep showcasing that key leadership with our events,” he said.

�� . David Richter-O’Connell speaks at Design Wisconsin, which he founded in 2022. / ��

Richter-O’Connell, �� Chancellor Katherine Frank and Tim Albrecht, group president for Milwaukee Tool, were among the speakers at Milwaukee Tool.

The first two Design Wisconsin events were held in 2022 at DELVE in Madison and 2023 at Trek in Waterloo, east of Madison.

Student wins Merit Award

The Milwaukee IDSA chapter sponsors an annual student Merit Award competition, part of a national IDSA competition.

�� . Amelia Dobbratz was named the Merit Award winner in a campus competition among seniors in the program and presented her work at Milwaukee Tool. She will go on to compete for the regional IDSA title and, possibly, the national title this fall in Texas.

Amelia Dobbratz, �� industrial and product design senior, presents at Design Wisconsin. Dobbratz won an IDSA Merit Award for her design work. / ��

Dobbratz, a senior from Waupun, is majoring in industrial and product design. She presented on three products she designed, a lamp, a hearing device and a table, in three hands-on studio courses.

Two other �� industrial and product design majors were chosen as campus Merit Award finalists, Jordan Dinwiddie, a senior from Minneapolis, and Ananda Van Wie, a senior from Merrill. They graduated May 4.

Contest judges, all �� alum, were professionals Mike Berge, of National Presto; Riley Crotteau, of Nordic Ware; and Angela Hastings, of Rypen furniture.

###

Design professionals from around Wisconsin representing some of the state ��. biggest and best-known brands gathered May 18 for the third annual Design Wisconsin. Design Wis. display 1

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�������� industrial design students handcraft furniture using historic brass fixtures

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Honoring the Harvey Hall legacy

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Design Wisconsin coming to �������� in 2025; student wins Merit Award during event at Milwaukee Tool

Student wins Merit Award

Inspiring Graduate: Zach Follett, B.F.A. Industrial Design

Campus color: Alumni demonstrate industry leadership at Design Wisconsin event at ��

Kraus-Anderson vice president, regional education leaders credit �� with shaping them

‘Disquiet Dream’ by industrial design student featured at Rassbach Museum ��. haunted house exhibit

Phillips-Medisize honored by UW and �� with Regents Business Partnership Award

�� industrial design students handcraft furniture using historic brass fixtures

Design Wisconsin coming to �� in 2025; student wins Merit Award during event at Milwaukee Tool