Problem Solver. Collaborator. Self-Confident. Disciplined. Passionate. Persistent. Active Listener. Researcher. Over-Communicator. Humble. Coachable. Creative. Independent. Presenter. Empathetic. Curious. Auburn University Industrial Design Class of 2020. I’m Dawei Zhao.I have been pursuing a Bachelor of Industrial Design at Auburn University over the past four years. Auburn is not just a place where I have gotten my education but also has given me maturity, growth, empathy, a vision of diversity, and independence. I worked as a Global Guide for International Students, where I was able to really dig into diverse cultures and backgrounds. Here is where I learned the meaning of “seek to understand, not to be understood” through communication, active listening, and asking questions.Auburn has also given me professional opportunities. In the Summer of 2017 I started my own studio DATWAY PROJECT, an interdisciplinary studio made of up four individuals, each with a different design background. In a short time, we have been a team, we have designed album covers, music video set scenes and currently have a high-end street style sneaker in production at a factory in Portugal. By being the leader of a team that works remotely, I have learned discipline, accountability, and understanding what everyone brings to the table.In 2018, I founded a silver jewelry brand called POKE PRODUCTS. Currently, I serve as the strategic consultant and promotions director to POKE PRODUCTS, as I have stepped down from ownership to pursue full-time opportunities in my discipline. I leveraged online selling strategies to grow demand and my persistence and problem-solving skills led to the brand opening its first physical store in Auburn, AL.I am highly curious by nature, so much so, that I flew to Guangzhou, China to visit a shoe factory. Sometimes as a designer, we can get stuck on materials, design, and quality that we don’t often look at alternative options for production. I learned what manufacturers needed from designers to produce a high-quality product with lower material costs and to also ask about different options that might be accessible to us.I tell these stories to you because each of them has shaped the value I bring as an emerging professional. You are getting a candidate who sees the depth to the position. One who is consistently curious about the whole product development cycle and who is not afraid to win or lose.