December 15, 2009

The College will launch a new interdisciplinary design major in Product Design following approval by the Faculty Senate on December 8th. Product Design will teach students the skills to develop and design products for a vast array of industries, specializing in multidisciplinary design research focused on product development and commercialization. It will also encourage collaboration in green design, sustainability and innovation in product development, and the rigorous academic and studio curriculum will engage the disciplines of art, business, engineering and technology. Beginning in September 2010, students will have the opportunity to create products ranging from furniture and toys to medical devices and consumer electronics in design competitions and Charrettes. The program will also offer a minor. Students will learn in state of the art facilities that will include a modeling shop and studio, laser cutters, 3D printers (rapid prototypers), and molding clays and tools. The modeling shop and studio will be large design-centered spaces, built to promote and sustain the studio culture.

The Product Design major will be led by Professor Mike Glaser, who is also the Product Design Program Director. Mike has over twenty years of product design experience and taught product design at Ohio State University, Savannah College of Art and Design and the Georgia Institute of Technology before coming to Drexel. His industry employment included Hewlett-Packard, Ciba Corning, Data General and Texas Instruments.