Young Leaders Internship Program

David is a qualified lawyer of the Brussels Bar and an applicant for California as well as New York Bars. With experience at Sidley Austin LLP, the European Commission, and the Embassy of Belgium in Tokyo, he brings an international perspective towards trade, competition and intellectual property.

Having twice attended the Marché du Film at the Festival of Cannes, David has considerable experience in licensing, partnerships and NDAs for SMEs in the cultural and creative sectors. He has recovered up to 200,000 USD for SMEs by pleading before trial and appeal courts in commercial and IP laws.

David’s other notable projects, which include dealing with an EU merger for Fortune 500 company and conducting due diligence for an IPO reflect his interest in new technologies, energy, and the Arts. He has advised and represented governments, Fortune Global 500 companies, and associations on international trade and agro-food matters.

He is extending his previous experience in trade law in the solar panel, clothing, and food industries at Unbuilt Labs, where he will be conducting legal and policy research on sustainable fashion.

His articles on diplomatic protection, trade and customs law consequences of Brexit, and trademark royalties in customs, were published in the Harvard International Law Journal Online and the Global Trade and Customs Journal.

• Columbia Law School, New York City, Master in Laws (LL.M.) ‘20

• College of Europe, Bruges, Master in European Law (LL.M.) ‘12

• Université Catholique de Louvain, Master in Law (J.D. equivalent) ‘11

• Université Saint-Louis, Brussels, Bachelor in Law ‘09

Madison is a sustainable fashion professional with 3+ years of experience in the industry. Through her work with brands and consultancies, she has developed her knowledge in business development, trend research, styling, and sales. She has attended multiple fashion weeks and market weeks while working with brands such as Alice + Olivia and Staud. She also worked on the annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show in 2016 as part of the in-house team. She has previously been a member of the fashion press in Singapore and attended PR and brand events as a press representative of Liv Magazine.

Madison is currently a MS student in Sustainability Management at Columbia University, and she recently graduated from New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Studies where her focus was the historical context of the fashion industry and how that history can be used to inform and shape solutions to the industries environmental and social issues. While at New York University, she managed a 50-person dance company with her fellow students and choreographed several pieces of movement for their bi-annual showcase performances. At Unbuilt Labs, she will be looking into working with artists to promote sustainable fashion and exploring how the company can engage with the circular economy.

• Columbia University, MS in Sustainability Management ‘21

• New York University Gallatin School of Individualized Studies, BA in Individualized Studies ‘20

Kathy is a South Korean videographer currently living in New York. Her most recent project was a documentary about DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival). The video brought a spotlight to the problem of second-generation immigrants who do not have legal security and live under governmental threat of deportation. Kathy undertook the research and development before directing, filming, and producing the video. Her interviews with DACA recipients make the work compelling and meaningful. At Unbuilt Labs, she will create documentaries to explore the lives of Unbuilt Labs’ affiliated artists. She will also work on driving sustainability messages through social media.

• Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), A.S. in Video Arts and Technology ‘21

Matthew Porter is an educator, design researcher, and sociocultural anthropologist with an emphasis on fashion theory, epistemologies of dominance, and the US military. His approach maps critical theory onto strategies of design and material production. Currently, his works-in-progress include inquiry into the socio-legal implications of political fashion and prototyping models aimed at reconstituting US garment manufacturing. At Unbuilt Labs, Matt will be investigating consumer sentiment and receptivity to sustainable business schemas and how fashion brands can meet consumer demands with ethical yet effective business models.

• Parsons School of Design, MA in Fashion Studies, 2019

• University of North Texas, BA in Fashion Design, 2016

Ruoyao is a PhD candidate in molecular and cellular biology who focuses on cancer cell death mechanisms. She has authored/co-authored scientific publications in Nature Cancer, Cell Cycle, Cell Reports, and Journal of Materials Chemistry B. She was previously a Global Scholar at Prescouter, where she advised a NASDAQ-listed US biotech company on navigating clinical trial regulations. She has also been a weekly volunteer at St. John’s Bread and Life as well as Homes for the Homeless to help underprivileged people with legal documentations and career development. At Unbuilt Labs, she will be exploring how cutting-edge science can be applied to sustainable fashion.

• Cornell University, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology ‘21

• St. John’s University, New York, BS in Biology ‘14

Yuan was a Ph.D. candidate, who published as first/co-author on the PLOS Pathogens, Journal of Virology, Journal of Biological Chemistry and Science Reports. Her current focus is in the promotion of scientific literacy through UI/ UX design. Prior to her role at Unbuilt Labs, where she is reimagining research communication, she has optimized the reading experience of an online UX publication operated by senior designers at BAT (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent).

• Rochester Institute of Technology, M.F.A. Visual Communication Design ‘21

• University of Minnesota, M.S. Pharmacology ‘18

• Wuhan University, B.S. Biology ‘14

Deven has long been interested in communicating for influence. He recognized the importance of social discourse for project momentum during his time as an Associate at Partnership International. There he has researched regulatory landscapes and written project proposals as well as grant applications on behalf of US bilateral and multilateral aid agencies. His focus has been on solar energy, water purification, and hydroelectric fields. At Unbuilt Labs, he is exploring behaviour change communication strategies in housing codes and climate-oriented legislation. Deven is also a beekeeper and a Board Member at Georgetown University’s Hoya Hive.

• Georgetown University, B.S.F.S. Science, Technology, and International Affairs ‘22

Sam has always been passionate about leveraging technology to provide socially impactful solutions for the world’s most pressing problems. Growing up in Kenya, he founded Ridhika, a non-profit that advises the local Education Department on ways to introduce computer science in high schools. He led product and pricing strategy for enterprise clients at FluxWater, a social enterprise aimed at providing equitable access to water. Since the global outbreak of covid-19, he has been at Basil Labs studying the relationship between mobility, employment, and consumption in both developed and developing economies. He is looking forward to exploring Gen Z’s consumption pattern of sustainable products in the US, and working with Yuan on research communication at Unbuilt Labs. Sam is the recipient of the Google Africa Scholarship, a Forbes Under 30 Scholar, and a member of the Middlebury Men’s Rugby Team.3

• Middlebury College, B.A. Economics and Computer Science ‘21

Annette is a creatively minded graduate from Hong Kong. Formerly at J. Walter Thompson Worldwide and Paramount Pictures, she has a background in advertising strategy, retail product marketing, as well as social media marketing. She is delighted to bring her previous experiences to the Unbuilt Labs team and to learn more about sustainability communications. Annette will focus on communicating research findings through digital marketing channels, as well as increasing brand awareness through strategic partnerships. Annette is a Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Scholars selected from across Asia.

• Claremont McKenna College​, B.A. Media Studies and International Relations ‘20

Kaixin has a background in environmental sciences. During her time at Climate Reality Leadership Training, a program in Asia founded by Al Gore, she explored the efficacy of international climate policies. Her later interest in consumer packaged goods companies’ contribution to climate change led her to studying corporate sustainability management, life cycle assessment, and resource management. She specializes in plastics and aluminum products. At Unbuilt Labs, she is studying the disintegration and recycling of the Coca Cola bottle. With a love for nature, she was formerly a volunteer at the Bali Turtle Conservation Center.

• University of Pennsylvania, M.E.S. Environmental Studies ‘21

• United International College, B.Sc. Environmental Sciences ‘19

Lowell Clare’s past work has centered on the relevance of discrepancies between perceived and actual urban histories to strategic development. Prior research includes: visualizations and designs for the National Mall 20, 50 and 100 years into the future and the ways architectural preservation of London’s historic pubs glosses over their history. She has continued to develop those skills in the disciplines of urbanism, adaptive reuse, and landscape architecture. At Unbuilt Labs, she is constructing flood scenarios and examining the vulnerabilities of New York City’s existing buildings in the face of climate crisis. Moving forward she would like to bring her expertise to the business of the strategic design of resilient cities.

• Rhode Island School of Design, M.L.A. Landscape Architecture ‘19

• New York University and English Heritage, M.A. Historical and Sustainable Architecture ‘11

• Bard College, B.A. Art History, ‘09

Maddy is an environmental justice advocate and an earth scientist with a “We can map it!” attitude. She served as the President of the Oceanography Society at Humboldt State University for two years while spearheading microplastics research on both coasts. Determined to connect research to impact, she joined Patagonia, where she was able to accrue knowledge on natural resource management and sustainable supply chain strategies. She is highly familiar with Patagonia’s B-Corp certification, the 1% For The Planet initiative, and its Fair-Trade practices. She has since extended her sustainability knowledge towards promoting environmental justice. Recently, she has worked with non-profits UPROSE and WeAct to contribute to letter writing campaigns towards sustainable development of communities in New York City. Her data visualization project at Unbuilt Labs focuses on communicating climate change challenges in New York City. Maddy is also an artist, an avid outdoors adventurer, and a licensed scientific diver.

• Columbia University, M.Sc. Sustainability Science ‘22

• Humboldt State University, B.Sc. Oceanography ‘19

Austin is currently pursuing a J.D. and comes from a background in Business Management and Economics. As an undergraduate, he designed and conducted statistical research on the effectiveness of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), a commercial bank bailout enacted in the 2008 financial crisis. At Unbuilt Labs, Austin’s project considers the New York State’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. He will be looking at how sustainability-focused funding and its legislation affect disadvantaged communities. Having worked in both a boutique firm and a top 60 firm in the National Law Journal 500, he has experience with asylum seeking policies and insurance litigation practices. His most recent overseas trip was to his birthplace, Hong Kong, where he spent time teaching children English. He has also helped Make-A-Wish foundation’s Suffolk County Chapter fundraiser for their holiday campaign.

• Cornell Law School, J.D. Law ‘22

• Stony Brook University, B.S. (Hons) Business Management and Economics ‘18

Gauri examines and reimagines aging infrastructure as a computational designer in New York. From the intimate streets of Delft to the thriving development of Singapore and the dizzying pace of New York, she has studied how architecture mediates our experience of natural environments. Most notably, she managed three graduate researchers at MVRDV’S think-tank to quantify the impact of reconciling urban sprawl with green spaces. Her later work focuses on natural disasters’ effect on urban networks: she documented Hurricane Katrina’s impact on New Orleans’ most vulnerable population sheltered in segregated public housing complexes; and created interactive vizualizations of flood scenarios on New York’s subway system. Gauri is investigating effects of climate change and rising sea levels on the extant infrastructure of New York City at Unbuilt Labs. Specifically, how will this “newer” New York adapt its food systems, energy infrastructure, and construction methods?

• Columbia University, M.Arch. Architecture ‘20

• Columbia University B.A. Architecture ‘17