Kalamazoo Times

Two Western Michigan University (WMU) product design students, Ana Charnesky and Kelsi Schmottlach, have capped their college experience with a notable achievement. Graduating in April 2024, the duo embarked on a two-week tour of China alongside FinaMill founder and CEO, Alex Liu. This trip included visits to iconic sites such as the Forbidden City and Bird's Nest Olympic stadium in Beijing, along with cultural immersion in Shanghai.

"Traveling inspires me to want to design on a global scale," said Charnesky. Both students started their journey in Hong Kong, where they explored local cuisine and art before moving on to Beijing for a guided tour of traditional architecture and design elements.

Schmottlach expressed her enthusiasm for urban design, stating, "I'm really interested in all forms of urban design, architecture, furniture." Charnesky added insights from their visit to a palace garden in Beijing: "(Our tour guide) would explain the placement of temples, different coloring of the tiles that are used on the temples—there's a lot of meaning behind everything."

The educational trip extended beyond cultural experiences into professional learning. The pair visited various manufacturing facilities across cities like Changzhou and Guangzhou. "We saw ceramic manufacturing, car manufacturing and sheet metal manufacturing for electrical grids," Schmottlach noted. Charnesky found observing plastic injection molding machines particularly enlightening.

In Guangzhou at FinaMill's offices, Liu facilitated an ideation session where Charnesky and Schmottlach sketched concepts for new products. This interaction provided them with valuable feedback from engineers. "As an industrial designer... having an engineer during an ideation session was very different and very fulfilling," said Charnesky.

Liu emphasized the purpose behind this initiative: "My hope was that Ana and Kelsi would gain valuable insights into the world of manufacturing." He highlighted how engaging with professionals could broaden their perspective on product design.

The opportunity arose from a connection made by Charnesky at the Inspired Home Show in Chicago. Impressed by her dedication to improving user experience while considering environmental impact, Liu reached out to WMU’s Richmond Institute for Design + Innovation. This led to a studio course sponsored by FinaMill in fall 2023.

Alfredo Carreno, adjunct professor who led the course, stated: "Sponsored design projects are important for students because they provide real-world applications of classroom knowledge." Students developed comprehensive designs for FinaMill products or product lines intended for commercial use.

Charnesky devised an attachment for enhancing spice flavor through toasting; Schmottlach designed a compound butter extruder aimed at meal enhancement. Their concepts won them the fully funded trip to China while three other student projects advanced towards provisional patent filings.

"The product design program at WMU fosters a strong foundation in both theoretical knowledge and practical skills," said Liu. Reflecting on her experience, Charnesky concluded: "Having a patent and going to China still feels very surreal... it gives me confidence to go out into the industry."

For more information on WMU news and events, visit WMU News online.

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