The group of students working to put together the Better World by Design Conference is never the same from year to year. But just because Better Worlders are graduating and moving off into the big wide world, doesn’t mean their work is over. The Better World PR team decided to hit up our alums and see what they’ve been up to. Before they started making waves in the pools of social and technological innovation, these talented individuals spent time behind the scenes as coffee transporters, poster hanging technicians, and fire code orators. Now, putting their respective skill sets toward more pressing issues than keeping their conference tees stain-free for three consecutive days, they’ve darted across the map to do exciting and inspiring things. We caught up with a few of them to see how they’re keeping themselves busy.
Our first conversation is with Matt Severson, a Co-Founder of The School Fund and former committee member. When Matt isn’t creating education opportunities for students around the world, he’s helping Google’s New Business Development Team bring you products like this self-driving car.
What have you been working on lately?
Since graduating from Brown in 2011, I’ve been somewhat leading two lives. My day-job is on Google’s New Business Development team. I work on product partnerships, technology licensing and business strategy for some of Google’s most exciting early-stage products and initiatives such as theGoogle Self-Driving Car, Helpouts by Google, Google Cultural Institute and other confidential Google products. My night-job is running The School Fund which is a crowd-funding platform that raises money for high school students throughout the developing world. It’s been tough balancing my work with Google and The School Fund, but thankfully, help is on the way! We’re currently knee-deep in our search for a CEO for The School Fund.
Design rule you never break? Always break?
I think it’s important to understand your users. But I also love that Henry Ford quote “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” (that according to this article, he may or may not have actually said…) As with most things, I think good design is finding a balance between seeking your users’ input, and then applying a bit of your own creativity and confidence that your design will create an exciting result.
What’s the last great article you read/exhibit you went to?
We actually just launched new channel consisting of a series of online exhibits — Women in Culture — on the Google Cultural Institute in celebration of International Women’s Day. I was involved in getting several of these Partners signed on, including the National Women’s History Museum, International Museum of Women, Vital Voices, etc. In terms of physical exhibits, I love many of the museums in London. I studied abroad there for a semester at Brown and loved popping in and out of the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate, etc. You could actually do that because they were all free!
Who would you like to collaborate with on a project?
Thomas Jefferson.
Here are a few photos Matt left with us from his work with The School Fund:
