Dr. Seth Orsborn
Director
Dr. Seth Orsborn is an interdisciplinary designer and loves the challenge of wrestling with an ambiguous world to identify unique opportunities which can be solved by creating products that are beautiful, functional, and desirable. Seth is also the director of and teaches courses in Product Design and Innovation at SMU. In addition to problem solving with the students, staff, and faculty of SMU, you can find him mentoring start-ups and advising innovation teams. If he’s not there, he’s probably chasing chickens around his property or trying to keep up with the chores on his pecan orchard.
JT Ringer
Lab Manager
JT is a human-centered designer with a background in theater design and technology. Before joining the DIG, he spent 16 years making props for theater, opera, and dance productions. In addition to managing the DIG, JT teaches Form and Composition in the Master of Arts in Design and Innovation program at SMU. JT enjoys woodworking, road trips, and spoiling his two Very Bad Cats™, Penny and Charlie.
rey winn
Assistant MANAGER
Rey is a junior year music and physics major that doesn’t like free time. If they’re not on the clock, they’re working on their next large project which will take more time than they care to admit.
“Philander and Discover” - Rey
Michael Afework
LAB TECHNICIAN
Michael is a Mechanical Engineering student minoring in physics and mathematics. Michael likes building and sleeping, just don’t ask what his sleeptime is…
Kylah bergan
lab technician + marketing
Kylah is an adventurous spirit who loves to get outside of her comfort zone. She is majoring in Marketing and World Languages (A focus on Chinese and Spanish) with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. She loves anything to do with tactile arts and has been crocheting for 13 years!
ABIGAIL BLEDSOE
LAB TECHNICIAN
Abigail is a Sophomore majoring in voice and minoring in German. She loves fine arts and has a passion for making and altering her own clothes. When she isn't holed up in a practice room in the Meadows basement, she can usually be spotted hunched over a sewing machine in the DIG. If you have any questions about sewing, she'd be more than happy to talk your ear off.
ALYSSA BURNETT
Lab Technician
Alyssa is a junior majoring in Creative Computing and Psychology. She enjoys working with the 3D-printers and laser cutter, and is always happy to work with you on any project or problem you may need help with! (just give her 5-7 business days for the bigger projects.)
Quinn Caceres
LAB TECHNICIAN
Quinn is a freshman studying Biochemistry. Quinn's specialty is creating whatever weirdly specific item they or their friends think of. You can most often find them making things on the 3D printers, creating new designs to test on the vinyl cutter, or trying to convince a friend to come to the DIG more often.
JOHANNA GULLIKSSON
LAB TECHNICIAN
Johanna is a senior studying Mechanical Engineering with a minor in math and chemistry. She's a big extrovert so don’t hesitate to ask her anything. If you don't see her in the DIG, look again.
Michael Llanes
Lab technician
Michael is a Junior majoring in Computer Science, Data Science, and Geology. He loves helping with all DIG projects and can use every tool in the DIG with equal proficiency.
kristian perez
lab technician
Kristian is a freshman Biomedical Engineering Pre-major. His favorite machines are the vinyl cutter and 3D printers. Outside of the DIG, he is wherever his friends drag him to (he doesn’t ask questions). His dream is to become a prosthetists and make artificial limbs for children.
Diyaa Shah
lab technician
Diyaa is a junior studying Mechanical Engineering with a dream of going into product design. She’ll be dragging all her friends to the DIG, so expect to see her there! However, if you don’t spot her, she’s probably lounging around in her commons. And if she’s not doing either of those things, she’s most likely looking for her phone…again.
sarah tadesse
lab technician
Sarah is a freshman pursuing a degree in biology (because poking cells under microscopes is her idea of a good time). She enjoys making things instead of buying them, and over-analyzing movies, books, music and all forms of media in general. When she’s not crocheting, skating, or diving into nerdy adventures, she’s probably thinking way too hard about a fictional character’s life choices. Ask her anything, she loves to yap!
nicole tarrol
lab technician
Nicole is in the class of 2028 majoring in computer science and data science. Whenever she has the chance, she’ll find some way to bring some humor in life. Life is tough sometimes, so we just need some hehe haha’s around. Otherwise, assume to find her doing some handy work on whatever she has going on next. That handy work is something she doesn’t know yet, but it is something real handy.
If you want to join our team, fill out this application and email us to let us know.