Jana I Saadi started her mechanical engineering career as an undergraduate at MIT taking 2.00b Toy Product Design, co-taught at the time by Professor David Wallace and Professor Maria Yang. Now, she has come full circle as a Ph.D. candidate in Professor Yang’s Ideation Lab, where she studies the role of AI tools in early-stage design processes.

Her passion for design can be found both in her academic work and personal life. In addition to all her hands-on coursework, she is a staff member for 2.00 Introduction to Design, where she enjoys mentoring the next generation of creative designers.

After going home at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Jana’s desire for hands-on design led her to transform her garage into a workspace for her growing list of home projects. In her off hours Jana can be found enjoying the outdoors by hiking, biking, or kayaking with her family and friends.