About - Stephanie Whalen - STEPHANIE WHALEN

Hello, I'm Stephanie. I provide engineering, design, and product development services to the world's top brands and startups. I specialize in product design and mechanical engineering, and have demonstrated excellence at every stage of product development, from product conception to shipping the dang thing. Many of my favorite products I've worked on are consumer electronics and medical devices. This is where I share my portfolio as well as other cool things. I'd love to hear from you; please reach out to me over email or LinkedIn.

I like making stuff.

In case you're curious about me and non-strictly-portfolio things:

I'm probably one of the most curious people you'll come across. I compulsively research and ask lots of questions.
This leads to my being a particularly T-shaped person. I learn as much as I can about everything and every area I work or interface with, but also know more about plastics/manufacturing/batteries/[insert random thing here] than most sane people.
I deal better with ambiguity than most.
I thrive in logic, but also in empathy, which allows me to easily detect points of friction in physical and digital product design.
I graduated from MIT in 2012 with a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. You can read my thesis here (Nonelectric, standalone heating element for an infant incubator).
A team of fellow students and I won the MIT 2.009 Product Design competition in 2011 for our patented bicycle helmet system for bike shares. I also received top honors in the MIT Media Lab Camera Culture design competition.
I am open to opportunities for mentoring, forums, speaking engagements, and [insert cool idea here] :)
Outside of work, I'm the proud momma of two kitties. I travel often for work and pleasure. I occasionally track motorcycles, scuba dive as often as I'm where the water's warm, and enjoy entertaining.
My deep love in life is making things, no matter the medium, from yarn and wood, to plastics and metal.
I thrive on novelty and new experiences, but because I love what I do and the clients I have here, I try to stick around San Francisco at least most of the year, and find ways to flex my creative muscles in the Bay Area.

I really, really adore cats.