SIGD Alumni Emphasize Importance of Engaging with Professional Organizations

John McCabe ’02 ’06 earned his Bachelor of Architecture from Auburn’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture and a Master of Industrial Design from Auburn’s School of Industrial and Graphic Design (SIGD). After a decade on the faculty of the Savannah College of Art and Design, he is currently based in Austin, Texas, as Design Manager for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Design for IBM. John and his teams there have received 35 international honors and awards. He was recently keynote speaker at the Industrial Designers Association of America (IDSA) 2024 International Design Conference.

Young Lee ’15 holds a Bachelor of Industrial Design from SIGD and is currently a Lead Industrial Designer at Dexcom, Inc., a San Diego, California-based manufacturer of glucose monitoring systems for diabetes management. Since joining the company following graduation, he has served as lead on a variety of award-winning products that have been launched globally. Holder of 34 design and utility patents, Lee recently served as a juror for the IDSA’s 2024 International Design Excellence Awards.

Both McCabe and Lee first became involved with the IDSA and other student and professional organizations while they were Auburn students. They recently talked about the importance of such activities and the role alumni and students can play in them.

What has been your personal history with the IDSA?

McCabe: I served as vice president of the student chapter of IDSA while I was an undergraduate student at Auburn and that got me involved in the organization’s programs. Later, as a professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design, I became the faculty sponsor of the student chapter and won the IDSA Young Educator Award in 2016. I went on to serve two cycles as representative for the Southeastern District.

Lee: My involvement with the IDSA started during my time at Auburn, where I joined the student chapter. It offered me various opportunities, such as designing a sustainable chair using 3D printing technology within 24 hours and competing for the IDEA awards with my personal product design projects from the Advanced Product Design studio. I attended my first IDSA International Design Conference (IDC) in New Orleans in 2012. Since then, the IDSA has been instrumental in my professional development, providing me with essential resources, networking with industry professionals and information about the latest design trends.

Discuss the career importance of student involvement with professional organizations like IDSA.

McCabe: Getting involved with IDSA and like organizations provides students with an unfiltered view of professional life and careers outside academia. I love talking to students, but I think there has been a recent push toward virtual interactions. The result is that many students now don’t have the experience to talk with professionals. They lack confidence and even fear talking to people they don’t know one on one. Design is a small but mighty profession. And professional organizations provide the chance to physically get together and share ideas and experiences.

Lee: Involvement in specialized design organizations like IDSA is invaluable for career growth, particularly in the U.S. The IDSA keeps you updated on evolving industry trends and offers a range of educational opportunities. Attending events such as the annual conference provides chances to connect with industry leaders, peers and mentors. These connections can lead to collaborations, job opportunities and valuable professional insights. Additionally, participating in the IDSA’s award programs allows students to showcase their work, increase their visibility and enhance their credibility, all of which plays a significant role in advancing careers.

Talk briefly about your most recent role with IDSA at the International Design Conference.

McCabe: I gave the keynote address and focused on the business aspects of AI. There’s a tendency to think of AI more as a creative tool, but it has major business applications as well. IDSA recently did a deep dive on the future of AI and I wanted to build on that a little further.

Lee: I was honored and excited to serve as a juror for the International Design Excellence Awards. Becoming a juror for a major international design competition like IDEA has always been a personal goal. What made the experience even more meaningful was that I had previously had the privilege of attending last year’s IDEA award ceremony in New York with my team, where we received the Gold Award for the Dexcom G7 CGM System—a product I worked on for nearly five years.