With a keen understanding of human-centered design principles, freshman Aditya Guruprasad is looking to propel his ideas to new heights at the Academy. Read on...

What does being at the Academy mean to you?

Being at the Academy among such an amazing cohort means a lot to me! I am grateful to be surrounded by such talented and accomplished people and am excited that I have the opportunity to learn and grow alongside them.

What is something about the way the world works that you'd like to disrupt?

When designing products, I believe the customer should be the first consideration in mind. Nowadays, I feel that companies aren’t focusing enough on human-centered needs in various products. I want to establish human-centered design as a concept of forefront importance – from ideation to execution/market stages of a product.

1. Improve my technical skills in various design applications. 
2. Work for a company / create a product that makes a positive impact on the world. 
3. Improve my ability to communicate both visually and verbally. 

Who is the most impressive entrepreneur alive today? Why?

In my opinion, Elon Musk is the most impressive entrepreneur alive today because of his amazing work ethic and consistent execution. Whenever he has undertaken a project, he has seen it through to success. Whether it is PayPal, Tesla, or SpaceX, Musk has shown his skills as an entrepreneur and designer in various ways.

What are some things you want to know about your future senior self?

I want to know if I was able to meet my goals for each year in college. I also want to know if I was able to make amazing connections and meet new people every year whom I will learn from. I also want to find out if I have made a positive impact in my community or the world.

Describe one thing most people don’t know about you?

I love watching random videos of Gordon Ramsey yell at people.

What is one thing your parents taught you that you’d like to share?

My parents have always taught me to create positive habits and stick to them as a way of keeping to a daily routine/discipline.

What is a recent project you’ve worked on that you’re really proud of?

Recently, I’ve been working on a smart basketball that would leverage data analytics from sensors inside the ball to improve a player’s game by providing helpful statistics and suggestions. I had initially thought of creating such a product after being a basketball coach and noticing that kids were only receiving real-time feedback during practices and needed further help individually.

What are the essential things you always keep in your backpack? 
Laptop, AirPods, microfiber, pens/pencils, notebook

Favorite app, service or website?
Apple’s website

If you could be best friends with one fictional character who would it be?
Sherlock Holmes


Fresh Encounters: Aditya Guruprasad