David Richter-O’Connell is an Associate Professor in the Industrial & Product Design program and in his 9th year of teaching at UW Stout.
David received his BSID from the Institute of Design at IIT in Chicago in 1988 and his MFA in Design Studies from UW Madison in 2009. He has been a practicing Industrial Designer for over 35 years and spent most of his working career at the Kohler Company designing a variety of kitchen and bath plumbing products- including the kitchen sink! David has also spent significant time in the toy and game industry, designing and making musical instruments, and creating and fabricating furniture.
David’s research paths include the crossovers between humor and innovation in creative exploration, the role of human sensation and emotion in design, and a wholistic approach to the ‘near environment’ made up of the space and objects between the human being and the built environment directly adjacent to them. David has presented research on these topics at major conferences and incorporates them into his classroom teaching and studio projects.
Richter-O’Connell also spearheaded the creation of an annual, Stout-centric, regionally focused design conference, expo, and networking event called Design Wisconsin that showcases the impacts of design on Wisconsin’s culture, commerce, community and brand.