New endowed chair appointment focuses on design

We are pleased to announce the creation of a new endowed chair to support human-centered, transdisciplinary approaches to addressing society's most important and complex challenges.
 
The Ritter Professorship is funded through the generosity and commitment of Gordon Ritter '86 P20 and Amy Metzler Ritter S86 P20. The Ritters have been an ardent supporters and engaged advisors throughout the Center's 15-year history. This gift reflects their dedication to promoting design innovations and employing empathetic methodologies to build sustainable solutions. The Ritter Professor will work closely with the Keller Center faculty and staff to integrate with ongoing Keller initiatives in design.  
 
The Center is extremely excited that Professor of Anthropology and Department Chair, Carolyn Rouse will serve as the inaugural Ritter Professor. Rouse brings a wealth of experience, scholarship, and expertise to the seat and will help to expand the Center's design curriculum and programs as well as fostering campus-wide collaborations.
 
Rouse's objective is to broaden the use and awareness of design at Princeton. "I don't think design thinking is unique to anthropology or unique to people who call them designers like an architect; I think it could be useful for a lot of people."
 
Rouse is creating a new course that will give students an understanding of the powerful interaction between ethnography and design and show them "the value that ethnography plays in designing anything." In addition, her project-oriented course will team students with faculty, campus community members, and outside-the-gates stakeholders to build sustainable, impactful projects.