PRISM: Sustainable by Design – A Materials Wake-Up Call with Jonsara Ruth and Rico Ruffino

Dan Harden, Jonsara Ruth, and Rico Ruffino evaluate the environmental impacts of design and how designers can play a role in creating a more sustainable world.

About our guests

Jonsara Ruth is the co-founder and design director of Healthy Material Lab at Parsons School of Design where she serves as an Associate Professor and the Founding Director of the MFA Interior Design program. As a designer, Jonsara has led creative and production teams to mass-produce the healthiest and environmentally friendly furniture available in America. Elevating everyday human experience is her underlying pursuit.

Rico Ruffino is an assistant professor of the practice in the department of forest biomaterials. Assistant Professor Ruffino is a member of the Industrial Design Society of America and the Sustainable Furnishings Council. He is actively involved in various working groups exploring sustainability within the furnishings industry. His numerous degrees in design and education has helped him produce a Sustainable Design and Testing Service Center that aids companies in creating and testing new sustainable product development.