Dr. Allen Samuels

Biography

Allen Samuels began his career as an industrial designer in 1966. Over the years, he designed products for 29 different corporations, including Renowned entities such as Corning Glass Works, Bausch Lomb, Black Decker, and Westinghouse, contributing designs that encompass glassware, dinnerware, microscopes, and scientific instruments. While working at 3M for 10 years, he developed numerous devices to support open-heart surgery, including explorations of artificial lungs. His designs for Bausch Lomb microscopes remain in use within classrooms and museums today. In 1975, he joined the University of Michigan as a professor in art and design and continued his work as a designer while teaching and conducting research. He served as the dean of the School of Art and Design from 1993 to 1999. Throughout his career, Samuels has received various accolades, including grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Science Foundation. At the University of Michigan, he developed a mobile bathroom design to assist individuals with cognitive impairments. This design was awarded the Reddot Award and a United States patent. Samuels retired in 2008, but he continues to innovate, focusing on designs for disaster shelters and mobile devices for aging individuals, striving to challenge existing technologies.

Research Interests