Each year since 2020, Gravity Sketch has selected design students to become Student Ambassadors. Students from across the world are selected for the program, which provides them with the hardware, software and training needed to explore the 3D communication of their design intent within Gravity Sketch.
The ambassadors’ training culminates in a personal project to showcase their innovative workflows and raw talent. This group of Gravity Sketch Student Ambassadors form a talent pool of the next generation of transportation, industrial and footwear designers using the latest tools and methods within their product design process. At the end of each cohort’s year, the students can create and showcase a project that celebrates their skills development to the world.
From Gravity Sketch’s 2022-2023 cohort, here are the Student Ambassadors, their projects, and career aspirations. You can let us know if you have an opportunity available for one of the student ambassadors, or watch the recordings of the live showcases where the top student ambassadors present their projects and process :
Watch the transportation session
Transportation design projects
Alper Özgür: Istanbul Technical University ’23
Alper Özgür is a fourth year student in Istanbul Technical University’s Department of Industrial Design. Describing design as “a way of life”, he views everything around him from a design perspective, which fuels his creativity. Every design should have a purpose, and Alper is constantly researching and exploring ways to create more functional designs to make people’s lives easier.
Dream role: Automotive Exterior Designer
Taylor Chen: ArtCenter College of Design ’23
Taylor centers his designs around storytelling, with a focus on problem-solving for existing challenges and opportunities within design. He pairs this with a strong sense of aesthetics to create designs that are as much about form as they are function.
Dream role: Automotive Exterior Designer
Andrés Bastidas: Hochschule Pforzheim ’24
Andrés is a passionate motorsports fan, which fuels his performance and aerodynamic focus within automotive design. Form is function, and he firmly believes that a high-performance approach inherently results in beautiful designs.
Dream role: a creative design role at McLaren / Pagani / Bugatti
Portfolio | Linkedin | Instagram
Jennifer Ellison: University of Cincinnati DAAP – ’23
Jennifer has always loved creation and observation, pursuing design with the intention of exploring every possible avenue. She has discovered many design interests, but has developed a true passion for mobility design. This is where she intends to make her career – connecting people through movement, responsible design, and doing her part to inspire the next generation of designers. Jen believes that designers should never lose that wide-eyed, child-like curiosity, and wants to always continue being a student to the talented people around her.
Accepted role: incoming junior designer for Can-Am Off Road Vehicles (BRP)
Portfolio | Linkedin | Instagram
Gaston Flores Gomez: National University of Córdoba – ’23
Gaston is from Argentina, with a true passion for transportation design. He takes influences from art in his work, and strives to think and design outside the status quo.
Dream role: Exterior Designer at Ferrari / McLaren / Cupra
Sergio A. Gasca: College for Creative Studies – ’23
Sergio is a recent graduate from CCS with an MFA in Transportation Design, and a passion for creating innovative and useful designs that solve problems to create meaningful experiences. Through his academic and professional experiences, he’s developed strong teamwork and collaboration skills, and values diversity in design perspectives. His empathetic nature and curiosity drives him to create integrative and innovative solutions while maintaining a positive and empathetic demeanor.
Dream role: Interior / Exterior designer at Polestar
Daniel Aguirre Riofrio: Savannah College of Art and Design – ’24
“As an industrial designer and user experience professional, I am passionate about creating products and experiences that are both aesthetically pleasing and functionally effective. I have a strong attention to detail and am committed to creating user-centered design that meet the needs of my clients and end-users.”
Dream role: Polestar or Volvo
Industrial design projects
Lukas Howell: Savannah College of Art and Design – ’23
Lukas Howell is a 4th year Industrial Design student, with a minor in marine design. With a natural curiosity and love of learning, design for Lukas is all about exploration, and looking at the world from a different perspective.
Dream role: Anything creative at companies like Oceanco and Sinot
Thomas Wiwchar: Carleton University – ’23
Thomas loves exploring new workflows with the latest tools in the AI and VR spaces. His design process often involves analyzing problems and working through possible solutions by sketching many iterations and building prototypes. His work includes a diverse range of materials and textures for contrast tactually, as well as visually in the product.
Dream role: BRP; Speculative Vehicle Design, or ILM; Art and Design Department
Portfolio | Linkedin | Instagram
Daan Engel: TU Delft – ’23
A TU Delft Industrial Design Engineering student, Daan describes himself as conceptual and analytical. He has a broad range of interests and influences, but is especially drawn to the world of extended reality and software engineering. He loves exploring uncharted future realities in his designs.
Dream role: creative/technical director at an XR-related company (e.g. Gravity Sketch, SenseGlove), designing conceptually.
Kartik Nair: Coventry University – ’23
“An artist who believes in using design as a tool to experience possibilities, expand and serve our fellow users. I like to design concepts that break the barrier of time and create a bold identity in the minds of users.
Eloquence assists me to build good relations with my clients and my team. Pure perception helps my curiosity to learn something new. I’m capable to portray my charismatic traits when working with a team.”
Dream role: UX designer at Tesla
Anastasia Charnesky: Western Michigan University – ’24
“My name is Anastasia Charnesky, an industrial design student at Western Michigan University. I thrive when I am exploring and illustrating the world around me, which has directed me to a design career. Over the past couple years I have explored electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and product forecasting through my internships at General Motors, independent studies at school; and with the Gravity Sketch Student Ambassador Program, where I had the opportunity to expand my creativity. I look forward to collaborating with others to impact our global community and better understand how we can shape our future sustainably.”
Dream role: Junior Industrial Designer at BMW Designworks or Teague
Footwear design projects
Deshui Yu: University of Oregon – ’23
Deshui Yu is from Cangzhou, Hebei, China. He specializes in designing footwear and other industrial products that combine performance and aesthetics. He believes a good product is an interface connecting humans and nature, and should always tell the story of how it forms a symbiotic relationship with people.
Dream role: Nike Footwear Designer
Francisco Bernal: Fundación Universidad Autónoma de Colombia – ’23
Francisco is a freelance footwear designer using advanced 3D modeling and computational design skills to convey his designs. He has a strong focus on footwear innovation and workflow improvement.
Dream role: 3D footwear designer at Adidas / Puma / Salomón / Fila
Michael Stevens: Queensland University of Technology – ’23
Michael has recently completed an internship with adidas AG as a footwear designer in the Sports Specialist team; he’s now continuing research into sustainable innovations in footwear design and manufacture through to the completion of his degree. He’s set up a footwear design group and consultancy, HIDDEN FACES alongside colleague Jake Day.
Dream role: Footwear design in performance and innovation
Seán Dwyer: University of Cincinnati DAAP – ’23
Seán Dwyer describes himself as a multidisciplinary designer, specializing in innovation and storytelling. With a deep passion for all things design, his focus is on execution and attention to detail within a workflow.
Dream role: Future Craft at Nike ISPA
Portfolio | Linkedin | Instagram
AAron Moreno
AAron designs to chase after new ideas that solve problems and enhance an experience.
Dream role: Footwear design at adidas
Alan Joseph: Footwear Design and Development Institute – ’23
Alan is a 3D footwear designer with expertise in Gravity Sketch and Blender. He currently works as a freelance footwear designer and 3D design tutor in Edinburgh.
Dream role: 3D Footwear Designer at adidas
Portfolio | Linkedin | Instagram
Doobneek
An activist for LGBTQIA2S+ refugees, Doobneek advocates for equality through art and uses innovation and science within fashion.
Dream role: Fashion Designer for Louis Vuitton
Sebastian Zgutka: Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw – ’24
“I’m a student from Warsaw studying at the Academy of Fine Arts. I recently moved to Kracow for a footwear design position. After interning at Ecco I now work as a designer in polish brand 4F (OTCF), designing performance and lifestyle footwear. My main interest is in parametric design. I’m currently working towards a diploma surrounding zero waste 3d printed shoes with lattice structures in the midsole that perfectly fits customers using a pressure scan of their feet.”
Current role: Junior Footwear Designer at 4F
Priten Chauhan: Nottingham Trent University – ’23
“I am driven to create impactful products that prioritise the needs and wellbeing of the user to a professional standard. My passion for medical design has led me to focus on projects that can positively impact the lives of users and those around them.”
Dream role: Product Designer within medical technology design consultancies such as Innovia Technologies, Cambridge Consultants or GAMA Healthcare.
Nader Alkhabbaz: DesignMorphine – ’23
“I’m a 23 year old independent footwear designer dedicated to bridging computational design and VR with additive manufacturing to push footwear forward into a new era. I am the founder of a designer brand called Nos Ailes with a vision to bring a unique, refreshing footwear aesthetic that merges futurism, architecture and sustainability.”
Current role: Founder and Creative Director – Nos Ailes
Michael Chan: Nottingham Trent University – ’23
“As a designer, I strive to create work that balances playfulness and user needs. I enjoy infusing my designs with a touch of joy while keeping the user at the forefront. By taking a user-centric approach, I aim to create designs that are intuitive and functional, with a focus on solving problems and improving people’s lives.”
Dream role: Footwear Designer
Joyce Addai Davis: Royal College of Art – ’23
“Footwear designer studying landfills in developing countries. I’ve always been intrigued by what we throw away as humans and why. I’ve spent the last two years looking at the making process of footwear and how digital processes can speed up or inform physical craft with ease, thus essentially reducing cost, minimizing waste and eventually eradicating the impact we have on the earth.”
Dream role: Footwear Designer at Nike or Balenciaga
Henry Allan: Kenyon College – ’23
“I’m a recent graduate of Kenyon College where I studied philosophy and studio art while running the campus’ 3D Technology Lab.
Whether it be virtual sculpture, industrial design, or visual effects, I’m able to draw on a diverse academic and artistic background when completing projects. Currently, I’m focused on two projects: 3D printed footwear design, and a short film for art collective Donotresearch.
This coming fall I will be returning home to New York City looking for new opportunities to apply my skills and interests.”
Dream role: 3D Designer at Nike
Chase Cumberland: SCAD – ’23
“Passionate about bridging the gap between footwear and technology, I plan to aid in changing the footwear world.”
Dream role: Footwear Designer
Amelia Cullen: Royal College of Art – ’23
“I design footwear and footwear-adjacent devices that investigate the performance qualities of shoes with specific activities in mind. I have been using footwear to explore the mobilisation of physical and socio-political boundaries with an emphasis on navigating urban geographies during the night. This project was a one-day sketch hybridising ‘performative’ shoes.”
Dream role: working in the adidas future team in Research and Development
Art and fashion design projects
Sifan Zhao: Academy of Art University – ’23
“I am currently a student at the Academy of Art University, pursuing a degree in Interaction & UX/UI Design. Before this, I gained three years of experience working as a UI/Visual designer in various companies with different roles.”
Shuhan Zan: Royal College of Art – ’23
“I’m Zan, a digital fashion designer currently majoring in fashion at the Royal College of Art, is an interdisciplinary storyteller who hopes to enrich my narrative by combining the virtual and the real. and sustainability. I am interested in discovering and exploring new technological mediums to enrich my expressions, such as AR VR and AI technologies.”
Dream role: digital fashion design company
