Brook Kennedy
Brook Kennedy IDSA, NAI, is a Professor in the School of Design and an acclaimed designer, researcher, author and inventor. Kennedy’s research explores broad topics in circular design and human health, with a special focus on alternative technology, biogenic materials and biomimetic processes. He was awarded the Global Visiting Professorship at the Technical University of Munich in Germany in 2024 where he established cross-disciplinary relationships with the faculty of biogenic material science. His work in fog harvesting materials has likewise resulted in top cited articles for Wiley-VCH and numerous publications for Elsevier, DRS and Cambridge University Press. As a co-inventor of more than 23 US and foreign patents he was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors in 2025. He is the author of “Reimagining Alternative Technology for Design in the 21st Century,” (2023) which explores the relevance of archaic and abandoned technology in contemporary discourse about design, sustainability and resource management. Kennedy is often approached by industry leaders for his facility and expertise in human centered and circular design practices which has yielded a diverse portfolio of externally sponsored research. He has advised numerous startups, industry leaders and NGOs and has served as a juror for multiple international competitions.
In professional activity, his design work has likewise earned notable accolades and has been covered widely in the media, including Dezeen, the BBC, NPR, the New York Times, Fast Company, Designboom, the Industrial Design Society of America, Chicago Athenaeum, Ingeniøren, International Design Awards, European Product Design Awards, the Smithsonian, and the Washington Post. He was interviewed by John Yang in a special report on Fog water harvesting research in 2019 for PBS Newshour with Judy Woodruff and was interviewed for the feature documentary film Finite Water in 2020.
Prior to joining Virginia Tech, Prof. Kennedy served a leadership role at Smart Design in New York, a pioneer of inclusive design which was honored with the 2010 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award distinction in product design. Kennedy’s work has otherwise been recognized with numerous international awards including the German Red Dot ‘Best of the Best Award,’ IDEA Gold, Silver and Bronze, the International Forum (iF) Award, the Good Design Award, Spark! Award and Consumer Reports ‘Best Pick.’ He has commercialized more than 70 products in his career, many which are still influential and on the market today.
Before Smart Design, Kennedy established his design career in the office of Architect Michael Graves where he designed products for clients ranging from Target to Alessi. He also gained vital formative experiences designing for the Northface, Adobe and various startups. He has taught, lectured and served as a critic at TUM, Pratt Institute and the New School in New York.
Bio Design, Sustainability, Alternative Technology, Life-Centered Design, Human-Centered Design
IDS 3224/ARCH 5974 Applied BioDesign
IDS 4015/4016; 4th Year ID LAB
IDS 4044; Professional Practice
IDS 3224; Portfolio
2025 Wiley-VCH Top Cited Article, Bioinspired Fog Harvesting Mesh Materials: A Review.
2025 National Academy of Inventors, Senior Fellow Inductee.
2025 Chicago Athenaeum Green Good Design Award, Research and Technology, Evaporative Cooling Partitions
2023 International Design Award (IDA) Silver, Professional Category, Lisbon Bio-composite Cork Chair, USA
2023 Routledge, UK. Reimagining Alternative Technology for Design in the 21st Century
2022 European Product Design Award, Professional Category, Lisbon Bio-composite Cork Chair, USA
2022 University Research and Innovation Excellence Award, Virginia Tech, USA
2019 Finite Water, Documentary Film, Acknowledgement, Fog Harp
2020 IDSA IDEA Finalist, Professional Category, Fog Harp, USA
2020 Autodesk Technology Center Resident, Fog Harp, Boston, USA
2019 Smithsonian Lemelson Center for Innovation Exhibit, Fog Harp, USA
2018 IDSA International Design Conference EDU Symposium Best Paper, New Orleans, USA
2018 A’ Design Award Soli light, Nokero Solar, Italy
2018 A’ Design Silver Award for Folium Bioinspired hydrophobic bike seat concept, Italy
2018 National Collegiate Inventors Competition, Finalist, Fog Harp, USA
2018 Institute for Creativity Arts and Technology, Innovation Award, Fog Harp, USA
2018 Budapest Design Week, Macronaut smartphone loupe, Hungary
2017 Nokero Solar, Laudato ‘Si Accelerator Honoree, Vatican City
2017 Eleven Biomimicry Competition, Honourable Mention, UK
2017 A’ Design Silver Award for Macronaut smartphone loupe, Italy
2015 Finalist, Highway1 Hardware Accelerator, San Francisco, USA
2013 Consumer Reports, Best Pick, OXO tot Sprout Chair, USA
2012 IDEA Award, Gold, OXO tot Perch Booster Seat, USA
2012 Spark Award, OXO tot Perch Booster Seat, USA
2012 Chicago Athenaeum, Good Design Award, OXO tot Perch Booster Seat, USA
2012 iF Award, OXO tot Sprout High Chair, Germany
2012 iF Award, OXO tot Feeding Line, Germany
2012 IDEA Award, Bronze, OXO tot Feeding Line, USA
2012 IDEA Award, Finalist, OXO tot Bath Organizer, USA
2011 Red Dot “Best of the Best” Award, OXO tot Sprout High Chair, Germany
2011 Red Dot Award, OXO tot Feeding Line, Germany
2011 IDEA Award, Silver, OXO tot Sprout High Chair, USA
2011 IDEA Award, Finalist, OXO tot Feeding Line, USA
2010 JPMA Innovation Award, OXO tot mini Dishwasher Basket, USA
2010 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, Product Design, Smart Design, USA (While at Smart Design)
2005 Chicago Athenaeum, Good Design Award, Michael Graves Elevated Dog Feeder for Target, USA
2005 Olympus Fashion Week Runway show of Michael Graves Design Group for Target Pet Accessories, NYC, USA
1998 Telly Award, Nabisco Exact Change Promo, USA
Education
M.F.A., Design, Stanford University
B.A. Art and Art History, Reed College