Whitmire Vo

Engineer. Designer. Graduate Student.

Scientists discover. 
Engineers prove.
I make it usable.


Hi there, my name is Whitmire. I'm an industrial designer trained in engineering and with a background in user experience (UX) design. Right now I'm in my graduate program at RISD, working alongside scientists, engineers, and researchers to get their work out of the lab and into the hands of people who need it.


Project 01

Mobile Barber Station

2025
Client: Cutthroat Houston
Role: Industrial Designer


How might we expand a barbershop’s revenue using a mobile station instead of a permanent storefront?

Context
: A barbershop needed to grow without the high cost of a second location.

Action: I designed a mobile station using the shop's brand language and worked with a fabricator to build it.

Impact: Created a functional, modular station that lets the business test new markets with zero rent.


Project 02

Breastmilk supply monitor and tracker

2025 - Present
Client: enoa 
Role: Industrial Designer


How might we capture precise breast milk data without disrupting the existing pumping workflow?

Context
: New mothers lack accurate, real-time data on milk production during the lactation journey.

Action: I led the industrial design of a monitoring device that sits between the pump and the bottle. I collaborated with an electrical engineer to ensure the form factor worked with existing market hardware.

Impact: Delivered a concept hardware solution and developed the brand voice for upcoming fundraising.





Project 03

Focus Tablet Game for ADHD

2021
Client: Neuroscape 
Role: UX Designer


How might we teach complex gameplay mechanics to a diverse audience without overwhelming them during active play?

Context: Players across all ages struggled to learn "Invisible Mode" when the VR game was ported to tablets.

Action: Inspired by dance choreography, I designed a four-stage progressive voice-over system that faded out auditory cues as the player’s mastery increased.

Impact: Created a scalable learning system effective for both children and seniors, maintaining the game's challenge while removing the barrier to entry.

Project 04

Handheld Blender Concept

2026
Client: Chobani (Concept)
Role: Industrial Designer


How might we translate the soft, organic, and "approachable-premium" brand values of Chobani into a functional kitchen appliance?


Context: Most handheld blenders are aggressive, industrial-looking, and prioritize power over the kitchen aesthetic.

Action: I redesigned the handheld blender by deconstructing Chobani’s visual DNA—focusing on soft-touch materials, ergonomic curves, and a color palette that feels "natural" rather than mechanical.

Impact: Produced a high-fidelity conceptual form study that bridges the gap between food branding and hardware design.

Project 05

Vietnamese BBQ: Redesigning Cultural Entry Points

2026
Client: Pi Pizza 
Role: Art Director


How might we use the familiar "visual language" of American BBQ to introduce diners to lesser-known Vietnamese flavors?

Context
: Most diners' perceptions of Vietnamese cuisine are limited to Pho and Banh Mi, creating a barrier to exploring more traditional, regional dishes.

Action: I collaborated with a Pit Master to design a fusion dining experience in Portland. We used the "American BBQ" format as an accessible framework to present complex, unfamiliar Vietnamese ingredients.

Impact: Created a successful cultural bridge that used strategic "fusion" as a tool for education, making new flavors approachable through a familiar dining ritual.

Whitmire Vo

Education


Rhode Island School of Design
Masters in Industrial Design (Expected May 2028)

Advanced Design  
Completed Courses: Digital Tools, Sketching I, Studio ID, Product Marketing

University of Houston
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering



Skills


Design Software:
SolidWorks, Fusion360, Rhino, Figma, AdobeSuite, KeyShot, Procreate, CLO3D


AI & Automation Platforms:
Claude, ClaudeCode, Gemini, ChatGPT


Collaboration & Documentation Tools:
Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Miro, Notion, Jira, Airtable, Trello, Asana, Monday

Languages:
Vietnamese, Spanish

Experience 


Industrial Design Work

Stephen Gould | Industry: Packaging Design | Providence, RI

Cutthroat Houston | Industry: Hospitality/Retail Design | Houston, TX

Cutthroat Houston
| Industry: Hospitality/Retail Design | Houston, TX

Enoa | Industry: FemTech/Maternal Health | San Francisco, CA


UX Design Work

SAGA | Industry: Artificial Intelligence & Social Wellbeing| New York, NY

Cerulean | Industry: Artificial Intelligence & Fashion | San Francisco, CA

NeuroScape | Industry: Neuroscience Research/Health Tech | San Francisco, CA

Amrev Media | Industry: Mental Health | Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Exposure | Industry: Content Management System |New York, NY

Illuminate | Industry: Public Art | San Francisco, CA

Kiritsu Design & Technology | Industry: Cosmetic & Beauty | Toronto, ON, Canada

CommunityShare | Industry: Education | Tucson, AZ

Kurani | Industry: Architecture | Atlanta, GA

Engineering Work

Schlumberger

Business Analyst (2019 - 2020)
Project Coordinator/Resource Manager (2018 - 2019)
Senior Operations Engineer (2015 - 2018)
portfolio in progressTop