Faculty Web Page Information
Name: David Richter-O'Connell
Position: Assistant Professor
Contact Info:
Phone: 785.532.5992
Email: dave1@ksu.edu
Office:
Degrees:
M.F.A. Design Studies, University of Wisconsin Madison, 2011
B.S. Industrial Design, Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology, 1988
3-5 Awards, Books, Papers, etc.:
Richter-O’Connell, David. ‘finding flow’… Looking for linkage and leverage between
Interior and Industrial Design processes and methodologies. 2012 National Interior
Design Educators Council Conference, Baltimore.
Richter-O’Connell, David; Jani, Vibhavari. Diversity, Sustainability and Humanity: A Call
for Connection in the Beginning Design Curriculum. 2012 National Conference on the
Beginning Design Student at Penn State.
Richter-O’Connell, David. "Axis Mundi- The Center of Your Universe..." 2012
Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) Poster presentation, Seattle.
IDEA Gold Award 2002- Kohler SOK overflowing bath- originated in Advanced Concept
Development group- developer/ designer.
IDEA Silver Award 2001- Kohler Professional Series System of kitchen sinks, work
environments, water management and appliance products- principal designer.
15 Design and Utility Patents awarded.
250 word statement about (highlight points of interest, involvements, etc.):
David Richter-O’Connell has background in the areas of product and environmental
design, human behavior and human history, environmental and social issues in design,
and the desire for and creation of beautiful places and things. With a professional
background as an Industrial Designer for 23 years, he has been awarded Gold and Silver
IDSA awards, and 15 Design and Utility patents.
Professor Richter-O’Connell earned an MFA from the University of Wisconsin Madison in
Design Studies, with a focus on crossover creative methodologies between interior
architecture and product design, between the built environment and the designed
objects and elements that inhabit those spaces. The research resulted in a process
methodology that straddled both worlds and found ways to design environments and
objects collectively from the same foundational research.