Who are we?
From left to right: Emily Takara, Trisha Sathish, Anne Hu
We're the Bio Buddies, a garage makerspace team of three teen girls located in Bay Area, California. Our mentor, Corinne Takara, has guided us on our biodesign journey and in our creation of the GIY Bio Buddies kit. At the Biodesign Challenge Summit (2019) we won the Outstanding Field Research Award and the Runner Up to the Grand Prize. Corinne Takara won the Outstanding Instructor Award. PC: Valery Rizzo and Pongsak Pattamasaevi |
Our Journey:Our design journey began at the Nest Makerspace in October, 2019 when we asked ourselves: "How can we make biodesign be playful, approachable and affordable?"
Over the course of 8 months, we developed the GIY Bio Buddies kit and entered in the 2019 Biodesign Challenge. The GIY Bio Buddies kit includes the materials necessary to grow and explore with the biomaterials kombucha leather and mycelium. Through the process of designing our kit, we conducted public workshops, engaged with experts in many fields, and presented in conferences. At the Biodesign Challenge Summit (June 2019) in New York, we had a display at Parsons in the Life in Reply gallery, presented at the New School, and presented at MoMA as finalists. Bio Design Challenge Summit 2019:
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What are we up to now?
It's been a full year since we participated in the 2019 Biodesign Challenge! As we stay at home, we're working on ways to stay engaged with the public and further develop our kit. We aim to create illustrated instructions and instructional videos for our kit activities by the end of the summer.
🍄 Meet the Bio Buddies! 🌱
Anne Hu
Anne Hu is a freshman at Tufts University. She was a captain for her school’s varsity basketball and softball team. She loves to create art through digital art, photography and crafting. Her photography was selected by National Geographic for display in the Vice President’s house in 2015. Her interest in the Biodesign Challenge stems from her passions for science and learning. She has been designing and 3D printing since 2014.
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Trisha Sathish
Trisha Sathish is a senior at Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California and has been making for as long as she can remember. In her free time, she loves to read, paint, and dance. Her recent interest of integrating biology with artistic aspects is what caused her to get involved with the Biodesign Challenge. She has been 3D print designing since 2014 and has worked at a Makerfaire booth with her local art school. She has also been a National Finalist in the Junior Strand and a National Semifinalist in the Teen Strand of Future Engineer Design Challenge. She is a recipient of a Kurt Giessler Foundation Ambition Grant.
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Emily Takara
Emily Takara is a senior at Pinewood Upper Campus in Los Altos, California. She likes to draw, run, and craft. Her interest in the Biodesign Challenge comes from her love of exploring science and design. Emily enjoys making with others and has worked at Mini Makerfaire booths and community pop-up maker events for the past five years. She has been a finalist and a two time Junior National Winner in the NASA sponsored Future Engineers Design Challenge. In 2018, she was a National Teen Finalist in the Future Engineer Design Challenge. She is a recipient of a Kurt Gieseler Foundation Ambition Grant. https://emilytakaraportfolio.weebly.com/
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Corinne Okada Takara
Corinne Okada Takara of Okada Design and the Nest Garage Makerspace was our instructor for our 2019 Biodesign Challenge project journey. More info on our mentors are on our Biodesign Challenge team page.