Barbara (Feiyuan) Fang grew up in Shanghai and studied graphic design at Tongji University in Yongqi. She found traditional design too narrow and sought out a mentor, who introduced to Design Harvests, a project that proposed a new sustainable development model for Shanghai. Barbara was encouraged and afterwards volunteered for the 2012 Cumulus -DIH for LED Design International Competition and attended international design conferences to learn about work in social innovation design. She believes that communities are no longer waiting for new technologies, government regulations, or market shifts – that people are initiating their own ways of meeting everyday needs. As a designer, she draws inspiration from these practical solutions and makes work to complement and support them. After graduating from DSI, Barbara plans to take what she’s learned back to Shanghai and its design communities.