Benjamin Linder

Dr. Benjamin Linder is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Tellus Institute and an Associate Professor of Design and Mechanical Engineering at the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. His teaching and research areas include sustainable design, international development, human-centered design, and creative design methods. He is focused on furthering a more ecologically connected and socially informed design practice.

Dr. Linder is currently addressing design for well-being and sufficiency, i.e., going beyond experience design, the current evolutionary phase of design practice. He is working to improve the use of synthesis strategies to balance the rise in analysis, especially life cycle analysis, within design. In addition, he is attempting to reframe engineering education to support the transition to a fair, steady state future.

Dr. Linder co-founded and co-organizes the International Development Design Summit, which brings people together from over 20 countries to build local, creative design capacity. He formed the Tri-campus Sustainability Working Group between Wellesley, Babson and Olin Colleges to provide a holistic, multidisciplinary education in sustainability to students on all three campuses. And, he recently founded Affordable Design and Entrepreneurship, a joint program between Babson and Olin College.

Dr. Linder received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1999.

Tellus Staff

Benjamin Linder