About Me

My name is Mingke Wang, a second year PhD student at Dyson School of Design Engineering. I got my bachelor’s and master’s degree in fashion and textile design, which makes me a unique bridge between creative design and technical innovation.

My Role Models

Personal Role Model - Shaway Yeh

Shaway Yeh, founder of sustainable business consultancy Yehyehyeh, transformed my understanding of systemic change through her work scaling circular economy models. As part of her team, I analysed how regenerative supply chains and stakeholder-centric strategies can drive profitability while reducing waste. Her emphasis on reimagining business frameworks—not just products—taught me to prioritize scalable, ethical systems. This ethos now underpins my PhD research at Imperial, where I explore how engineering innovation can align with sustainable market transitions to address planetary crises.

Academic Role Model - Vanessa Sanchez

Dr. Vanessa Sanchez, a trailblazing fashion-designer-turned-engineer, reshapes the future of assistive wearables through her pioneering work in soft robotics and smart textiles. Trained at FIT in fashion design and Cornell’s Fiber Science program, she earned a Harvard PhD in Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering, developing responsive textiles at the Harvard Micro robotics Lab. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree and Wired-featured innovator, Sanchez’s fusion of design, materials, and robotics epitomizes Imperial’s vision: interdisciplinary rigor driving sustainable, human-centric solutions to global challenges.

Learn More

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