This Engineering Prof, Author + Creative Boss Shares What Inspires Her
Meet Tina Seelig, a woman who *truly* embodies the definition of a boss. She’s a professor in the Department of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford and serves as Executive Director for the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, which is the entrepreneurship center at the School of Engineering. And she’s a speaker at Re:Make 2015 on September 11. Tina focuses on teaching creativity, innovation + entrepreneurship to her students (hiiii sign us UP), has written 17 (!) books and educational games and earned her Ph.D from Stanford in neuroscience. Needless to say, this woman is a total powerhouse both inside + outside of the classroom and we can’t wait to hear what she has to say at Re:Make! We chatted with Tina about how she tackles her day, what inspires her and how she gets her creative juices flowing.
On my best days, there is no alarm clock — I wake up with the sun ready to go!
Here’s a Photo That Fits The Caption #IAmCreative:
I am camera shy, so I don’t have many photos! But I think this one (above) fits the bill.
What inspires you and where do you go find it?
I’m inspired by my students. I give them provocative prompts and they do remarkable things!
Who is your favorite maker or someone who’s up-and-coming doing something really cool in your field?
I’m most impressed by those who challenge the assumptions to come up with unique solutions to problems. Right now, I am blown away by the work of The Last Mile team that is teaching entrepreneurship at San Quentin State Prison. Their work is truly inspiring!
What is the last thing you made that you were really excited about?
I recently took one of my new books, Insight Out, and turned it inside out. I ripped up the pages, painted them and created a set of collages. Here’s a video of an interview about Inside Out I did with Google.
What advice would you give an intern on the first day at their dream job?
When you get a job, you aren’t getting just that job, but the keys to the building. Look for opportunities to make contributions across the organization.
How do you overcome creative block and find productivity?
Keep moving — like exercise, creativity requires action. You can’t wait for the spark to hit you. Just get started!
What apps do you use daily?
Google Maps. This is my “uncertainty principle: You can know where you are or what time it is, but not both.” I always know the time, but not where I am.
Get your tickets to Re:Make here!
Are you excited to hear what Tina has to say at Re:Make? Share any questions you have for Tina in the comment section below.