To those who knew him, Paul Rothstein was a kind friend and mentor. He will be missed by all.
Please click the "Comments" link below and share your stories of Paul. Send any photos you want posted to IDSA at davidv@idsa.org.

Comments

[Ron Kemnitzer]

Earlier this week we lost one of our leading lights, a colleague who was moving design education forward, pushing the pace of our change to match that of the profession and exceed it. Paul Rothstein of Arizona State passed away in his sleep, it is thought in the middle of the night on Monday, March 7.

So many of us in education and practice are in shock, mourning him as a dear personal friend. We shared many good times together and we’ll treasure those memories and find ways to keep them alive. I hope his wife, Heidi, and their family know that we grieve with them.

Whether or not you knew Paul, you were affected by him. He helped bridge education and practice, so rare today. An educator for a relatively short time, he innovated throughout that career, enriching design as a whole and all its contributors. We're providing a full obituary online and in Design Perspectives. For now, suffice it to say that as a professor of industrial design at ASU he articulated new methods and processes for sparking user-centered business and design innovation. With his development of Integrated Innovation as a progressive model for new product development, Paul reinvented how design is taught and practiced, while also redirecting it to focus on integrating social improvements with profitable market performance. And he shared his insights with his community while he set an example that I for one was inspired by.

As design educators, we live in a small, tight-knit community challenged by scarce resources in an environment of increasing demands. Losing any member strains our ability to advance the profession as is our mission. In losing Paul, we lost someone we could trust to move the profession forward in the long term, someone whose infectious spirit and drive and spark and sharp mind and vision all created a whole that pulled everyone up around him.

IDSA is investigating ways we can ensure that Paul’s name and vision live on to make a meaningful difference in shaping the future of design, and I hope you will share your ideas on this. In the short term, IDSA is making a donation to ASU's Paul Rothstein Memorial Fund. I’m sure we’ll have lots of company. Paul's family will decide how the awards from this fund will carry on most appropriately Paul's work and passion.

Best,
Ron

Ron Kemnitzer, FIDSA
President, IDSA
Professor, Virginia Tech

[Leslie Speer]

Well, I must say that I didn't know Paul well. I only met him once, but he made a profound impact on me as an educator. He was at the Education Conference last fall in Pasadena and gave a very informative and compelling talk on the headway that ASU was making on teaching entrepreneurship and collaboration to their students. In fact, there were a lot of people at the conference from ASU who were speaking to this subject. I suspected, and was correct, that Paul was a strong force, a bright light so to speak, at ASU…and beyond. He has done a lot for the faculty and the students in the time he has been there.

I was looking forward to seeing Paul again in April, when myself and my students travel to Cincinnati to present our projects that have been part of the P&G/IDSA Collaborative. I knew when we submitted our proposal that ASU would be one of our competitors. I was inspired when I found out that we were in the finals and that ASU was one of the finalists too. I wish his students the best during these diffiucult last weeks of work on the project and encourage them to push ahead and do their best work in honor of Paul. It is what he would have wanted -- and expected -- from you. I will look forward to meeting all of you and seeing your work in Ohio in a few weeks.

I will miss Paul's presence at future IDSA conferences and mourn the loss of his energy, optimism and fortitude.

[Bob Schwartz]

Paul Rothstein was an early voice in my ear as I joined Procter and Gamble. He asked, no, insisted, that we step up and overtly support the connection between design education and practice.

Paul was full of ideas about how to do this and what work could be done. In part, it was on the strength of our conversations that P&G developed, funded and is now conducting the School Collaboratives Program with IDSA.

Further, his thoughts about having a strong social context for such an endeavor reasonated with a core P&G interest in Improving Lives Every Day. This led us to a focus on collaborative projects about underserved markets.

When we launched the program, it was no surprise that Paul and ASU were among the first to submit proposals to us. Never mind, that in a field that included 14 proposals from 19 schools, theirs was among the very best and was chosen unanimously by the IDSA Review Team to be funded.

Just a couple of weeks ago I received the interim report on the progress that Paul's team was making on their project, which is about "Creating a Brand Experience for People who are Blind or Visually Impaired". It was remarkable. The depth and breadth of their exploration equals any I have seen in my professional life.

My colleagues here at P&G who have been acting as coaches to Paul's team at ASU are stunned as I am by his passing.

At an event here in Cincinnati on April 14, 2005, the students and faculty from the three schools participating in the Collaboratives Program will present their results to P&G's design community.

The 2005 P&G/IDSA School Collaboratives Program and this event will be dedicated to Paul Rothstein's memory and the rich legacy and influence he has left behind for BOTH education and practice.

[Karen Berube]

Like so many IDSA members, Paul and I only met through e-mail in my capacity as managing editor for Innovation. When Paul learned that the theme of the upcoming Spring issue was New School Design, he came to Mark Dziersk and I with half-a-dozen story ideas and unbounded enthusiasm. He wanted to tell of the dramatic changes in the way design students are being taught and the forces at play in this shifting landscape.

Paul's article is thought-provoking and pragmatic. He is realistic about the constraints on revolutionary change in area of design education. But these challenges did not deter him from being inspired by the possibilities. He wrote; "Define a big idea. Consider the impact of the Bauhaus on design. Or Victor Papanek. Or the Cranbrook Academy of Art during the 1980s. All three prospered and revolutionized design practice precisely because of the power of their intellectual ideas. Perhaps it is time that more of our educational programs follow their lead and differentiate ourselves from the perplexing sameness that pervades much of US industrial design education. With compelling ideas and programs, we could potentially leapfrog global competition and establish a competitive advantage for years to come."

As managing editor, I found Paul a delight to work with. As a late addition to the issue line-up, Paul worked through the weekend to meet Innovation's deadline. His passion for the field of design education clearly evident. As he turned in his piece, he pitched other ideas for future articles.

We hope you will enjoy Paul's article in the Spring issue. I will regret not being able to publish more of his thoughts. He will be sadly missed.

Karen Berube
Managing Editor, Innovation

[carl garant]

I remember meeting Paul many years ago and being impressed with his enthusiasm and dedication to design and design education. During the years I've watched Paul grow and excel, exploring aspects and qualities of design so important to what we're all about ... not only to the profession, but to the future of design itself. Such energy. Such focus. Such dedication to others. He will be missed.

[Abraham Camacho]

Every morning I look forward to hearing from old friends by email, but today was very different. One of my ASU studio mates from the class of 2000, Cory Worth, sent out a note to others in our class that our mentor, our friend, our professor had passed away in his sleep recently.

"Rothstein" as we called him had an infectious passion that was passed on to each and every one of us everyday. Not only did he show us how to approach design, but in truth how to live design and promote design in everything we did. I consider myself to be blessed that he came into my life and education at ASU. I can honestly say I would be just "a" designer if it weren't for him. He taught us that Design was more than just a sketch, a model, a pretty casing.

After college I decided to move away from AZ to Boston, MA to pursue my design fantasy. Within the last eight months I moved to Los Angeles to be closer to family and to ASU. It saddens me that as I returned to hopefully contribute to ASU ID I won't be able to just pop into his office and say Hey, what's up? Yeah it's been a while!

Paul's influence carries on in conversations when I meet ID'ers from all over who have heard ASU ID has a strong reputation. That reputation burned brightly, because of beacons like "Rothstein".

I will miss "Rothstein".

Best,

Abraham Camacho
Los Angeles, CA

[Steve Wilcox]

I'm glad that I'm not in the position of figuring out how to replace Paul, because I don't see how anyone could ever replace him. He was a truly remarkable, yes, I'll use the overused word, unique person, one of the smartest and most articulate people I've ever known, and so full of good ideas that it was scary. He was one of those rare people who really makes things happen. He had great confidence without the ego that often comes with confidence. I challenge you to find an example of Paul ever being self-serving. And what energy!

But it really feels too impersonal to talk about Paul's abilities and accomplishments, or even his character. What I'll miss most of all is a great friend. I'll miss the arguments that we had. I had more fun arguing with Paul than agreeing with the next person. I'll miss that crazy, wry sense of humor of his. I'll miss those penetrating, out-of-left-field questions that made you stop and think. I'll miss being ruthlessly razzed for the latest nonsense that I'd spewed out. I'll miss the way that Paul stuck to his guns without pissing you off. I'll miss that incisive mind of his that found the hidden contradictions and made you see things anew, even when you were talking politics over a beer (or two).

If any event can make you stop everything, stare up at the sky, and scream WHY?, it's when something like this happens, something that just refuses to make any sense.

I wish I knew why. It just doesn't seem fair.

Steve Wilcox

[Ricardo Gomes]

We are all very saddened in the Design and Industry Department at San Francisco State University to hear of the pre-mature and great loss of one of our illustrious colleagues, Paul Rothstein.

I for one will miss seeing Paul at the National Design Educator's conferences, as well as reading his brilliant and resourceful articles. These papers and presentations were some memorable highlights for me at the Educator's conference, in the Proceedings and/or Innovation publications.

These great sources of pedagogical and professional practice established enlightening, innovative approaches to design education and research.

Our condolences and support to the students, faculty, staff and administration at the design department at ASU. The broad community of design educators will forever remember and be grateful to celebrate the life and works of Paul Rothstein.

Sincerely,

Ricardo Gomes, IDSA

Chair/Associate Professor

Design & Industry Department
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94132
(415)338-2229 voice mail
(415)338-7770 fax

http://www.sfsu.edu/~daiwww

Design Center for Global Needs
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~dcgn/

[Christopher Holman]

Many of us at X Product Development had a relationship with Paul as a result of being business associates with or having been students of Paul. We were all shocked and saddened when that phone call came into the office on Tuesday to make us aware of his passing.

Paul sparked the interest in the design business in me and I will always be indebted to him for all of his help (and light-hearted harassment) in guiding me from being a "drawer" to a "designer".

I was lucky to have been able to talk to him, however briefly, last week when he greeted me with a loud "Doctor Holman, what are you doing here?" and finishing with "Nothing ever changes!" when I let him know that I came ill prepared to the meeting.

Condolences to Paul's family as well as his colleagues in the design world. He will be greatly missed and always admired, may he rest in peace.

Christopher Holman
Scottsdale, AZ

[Bruce Claxton]

We’ve lost an inspirational leader. Whether it be for the profession, or the friendships we have had with Paul.

It makes you stop and recall the conversations that took place in so many venues. Paul was a true leader and made a tremendous impact on the field of design. He was a visionary and understood how our contributions as designers must evolve. He has made an impact on many young lives.

His legacy will continue to evolve and influence what it is we do next. This will serve to make the world a better place and to improve the design profession. He helped set the direction. Paul understood how our education practice needs to evolve and grabbed the moment to make a difference. He was committed to an ideal. He was closing the gap between education and practice…let’s follow his lead and continue to converge these two worlds.

There’s no way we can grasp how this can happen to such a brilliant leader at the apex of their contribution. The best we can do is to take Paul’s lessons and apply them. It will make us all better for it.

Bruce Claxton
Board Chair, IDSA

[Ed Dorsa]

I first met Paul in 1996 when he was checking out grad schools, and ASU was on his list. It was immediately clear that he was a real catch and I did everything I could to convince him to come to ASU for his Master’s degree. He didn’t come, for two reasons: he found a program that was better for him, and he’d already decided that he wanted to teach at ASU and he would have a better chance of getting a teaching job there if he had his Master’s from a different institution. Of course he was right. Two years later he was hired at ASU. Paul was the most strategic thinker I’ve ever met.

I never got to teach with Paul, but I was lucky enough to share a number of beers with him over the last 6 years, as in between wickedly funny observations, he would articulately and forcefully explain “what’s wrong with design education.” Most of the time he was right.

Paul had a unique, often contrarian vision, coupled with a rare capacity to get things accomplished. Design education has lost a true innovator. IDSA has lost a valued leader. We have lost a friend.

[Steve Belletire]

Paul was a personal benchmark. As I got to know him through conference chats, his presentations, and articles, I began to realize that he was the consummate design educator. He possesed all the best qualities in the proper balance. Intellect; insight; leadership; confidence; conviction; vision; and an instinct for risk-taking. His example as an educator and his contributions to our profession will continue to inspire. I am thankful we had his fellowship for the brief time that we did.

[Stephen Melamed]

A few years ago I had made a presentation at the Midwest District Conference on Interdisciplinary Product Development as one of the leading edge trends in contemporary Industrial Design Education. After the presentation, a young man, Simon Kwan, approached me and excitedly explained how he had studied with Paul and that I should contact him for we have similar interests. This introduction began a long series of e-mails and phone conversations, sharing ideas and a vision for interdisciplinary work and the future of design education. Finally, at the National Conference last year in Pasadena, we had the opportunity to meet in person, sit on a panel together, and discuss our ideas face to face. It's often odd how one brief encounter with a person can impress one with their intelligence and sincerity. Paul Rothstein, was such a man. I think that's one quality of greatness, to have a brief encounter, or read, or view some of the man's work, and somehow have it leave a lasting impression on you. Paul helped raise the bar on standards for moving design education forward, I hope we (practitioners & educators) can all honor his memory and do our part to push it along...
Sincere condolences to his family.

[Dapzury Valenzuela]

I had the wonderful opportunity of being Paul Rothstein's student where I was taught design research and learned how to apply methods and processes that have helped me as a professional today.

He will be missed and his passing comes as a great shock to me. I hope his family finds comfort in knowing how many lives he affected and positively influenced during his time at ASU.

Please contribute to the Paul Rothstein Memorial Fund.

Dapzury Valenzuela
Graphic Design & Development
Gilbert, AZ

[Kristina Goodrich]

I always felt as though my first meeting with Paul was a discovery. I was at the Paso Robles Western District Conference that Pattie Moore organized. One minute it was the usual group of people I knew and cared for and the next minute this spark had appeared, and I knew I'd met someone who was going to make a difference. Paul had only just started at Arizona State.

There was a glow to Paul's high energy, a friendly openness to his smile, aN engaging humility about his intellectual enthusiasm that embraced you. We got to know one another a bit as he drove me, with his usual inimitable courtesy and charm, early to the Mauro Bay Airport. I remember thinking, "This man is going to expand his circle of influence with ripples that reach far far out into the world."

[Cory Worth]

This has come as a great shock to me. I can't seem to get it out of my head, and I probably won't for quite a while. I feel a lot of different things, and it's hard to express myself in words. I think what is so devastating in my mind is that we lost an individual gleaming with human spirit, and we lost him way too soon.

Paul had a vision of what design emcompassed and he never swayed or staggered. As an insecure design student entering Professor Rothstein classes, I felt this energy, and it left a permanent mark. He was the kind of guy everybody wanted to impress and seek approval from, and in a way, I am still seeking his approval today. He was a remarkable mentor, and I respected him greatly.

I can honestly say I would not be where I am today if it weren't for Paul. Through his support, connections, and recommendation, he helped me land my first internship with Gravity Tank. He also introduced me to the people at Smart Engineering/X Product Development which lead to my first staff position out of school. Some people have profound effects on people's lives and Paul was one of them.

I will miss Paul, and I will miss knowing, in the back of my mind, that where ever I may be, he was "fighting the fight" and striving for the best he could be.

Cory Worth

Industrial Designer

One & Co.

[celia weinstein]

Paul and I were working on the P&G Collaborative together since I work for IDSA. InnovaSpace at ASU was one of the three teams selected to receive the funds. Their first reports were just due. The other 2 teams sent Web sites and emails with their reports which were just fine. Paul's team sent the largest 3-ring binder with their report that I've ever seen in my life. I've never seen so much research. It was absolutely amazing. It made my jaw drop. I sent it to P&G immediately. That was Paul, amazing.

My heart goes out to his family.

Celia Weinstein
Director of Education & Programs
IDSA

[Chris Conley]

Hey, Paul. It is the world's biggest understatement to say that none of were ready to be without you tomorrow. We miss you already -- terribly. Look at all these people. Colleagues, students, mentors, professionals from the other departments, clients, friends, family.

What are we going to do? Where will we find the collegiality? Where can we find a professor to teach students in the way you do? Where will we find the mentorship? The promise of new initiatives? The collaboration?

How will we fill the void? Who will we find to maintain the steady impact and influence you have on the design discipline? Look. Look at all these people. Behind all their fond and powerful memories is grief. I've tried it too. I try to think about what we've done together to mask the now empty promise of future collaboration.

Paul. Thanks for everything. Everything each of us experienced individually. Everything you did in sum total that none of us can comprehend. You are obviously more than any of us knew personally.

We miss you already -- terribly. We miss you. We miss you. Paul? We miss you.

[Alexa Curtis]

By remembering my last conversation with Paul, it strengthens my disbelief that he is gone. We were joking about the heaps of snow that I’ve been buried under here in Boston, something Paul didn’t miss at all after trading in the snowbelt for the sunbelt. It’s snowing here again today and it is a constant reminder for me. Not that I could stop missing him if I tried. I am so lucky to have had him as a true mentor and a friend, someone who I will always remember with the utmost admiration and respect. I believe in his vision for innovation, and can only hope that one day I can help to build upon the solid foundation that he has laid to see that his dreams become reality. I am forever in his debt for the priceless inspiration and guidance that he gave and the enthusiasm with which he had taught. My most sincere condolences go to Heidi and the rest of Paul’s family. Although deeply saddened, I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to know such a great man.

I don't know what technological allowances the afterlife makes available, but if he can, Paul WILL check his email, and this site, and know just how much we all miss him in our lives.

[Allen Young]

Paul will be greatly missed. I have never met a professor with so much passon for students and their well being.

"a light that shines so bright for such short time is the brighest"

Paul we will try to walk in the footprints that you have made for us.

Allen Young
Phoenix, AZ
ASU grad 1991

www.tallac.com

[Götz Unger]

I came to my introduction to Paul by looking over his shoulder. I was on my way to San Diego for the educator's conference there. A gentleman walked in, tanned, wearing a garish Hawaiian shirt over shorts, scrawny legs with flip-flops on the ends. He acknowledged my amusement with that smile and took his seat across the isle, just ahead of me.

A little into the flight his laptop came out. A Mac! Who is this guy? Powerpoint, Illustrator next, and CAD...hmmm. Then I watched how a presentation came together. What a quick mind, and the ease of his explorations, and how intriguing were the choices he made! In the days that followed I heard this inspiring presentation, enjoyed his sharp whit, was drawn to his kindness. I drank a few beers with and around him, and marveled at the insights behind his comments. So young, so dedicated, so wise. Like many that met him, I wanted to get to know him well at some point.

Since that time I have schemed to bring him to our campus so we may all learn from this brilliant person. We had a few near misses, and now this will never happen. What a loss for all of us, not to have him in our future.

This faculty extends its sincere condolences go to his family.

Götz Unger, Associate Professor
Director of Industrial Design
Philadelphia University

[Terry Nayes]

My observation of Paul was that he was a realist. He had dreams and vision, but that was not enough for him. He needed action on the vision. I think this is where the interdisciplinary concepts for Innovation Space came from. Consideration of socially responsible inventions upfront, helps resolve a problem: "what if the market price (of the product) is wrong?" Market forces sometimes operate without full knowledge of the true price of a product or resource. Paul worked with difficult concepts and he knew it would take an interdisciplinary team to produce the best results.

[Katherine McCoy]

Writing to a departed person in a website text box . . . . It doesn't make sense, but neither does Paul's passing.

Paul, thank you for all your contributions. Thank you for your innovative design methods and publishing - content that will continue to enrich our design process in the years to come. We cherish those AAAA worksheets. Thank you for your sharp insights and tireless work for industrial design education. Thank you for your energy and persistence, your humor and generosity. Thank you for your High Ground presentations, and for including us in your ASU workshops. Thank you for being a motivated grad student at ID/IIT and a role model in my class. Thank you for that hike in the Arizona desert wildflowers. The flowers are out there now, blooming for you again in another desert springtime. K

[Rochelle Letourneau, Senior Studio ASU]

Paul was supportive and motivating, enthusiastic and vibrant, caring and sharing, goofy and humorous, elloquent and inspiring.
I am left with tremendous admiration, appreciation, gratitude and love for him.

[Michael McCoy]

I knew Paul as my teaching assistant at IIT and later as a friend and colleague in the design teaching community.

I always looked forward to visiting him at ASU and getting a full dose of his outrageous, very penetrating sense of humor. Paul lived for design and lived for his students. I never knew a more dedicated teacher.

Paul had this great sense of the absurd and was always willing to share it with his friends. His intelligence and humor were so strong that I still feel him looking over my shoulder, telling me when I am slacking off.

Paul was his own best critic, always poking at himself as well as his friends and colleagues. He would enjoy taking Kathy and I on desert hikes while regaling us with tales of poisonous lizards and other hazards we might meet along the trail.

He was building a very important body of knowledge in design, which fortunately he published so others could share in his insights.

Paul liked to present the image of a skeptic, when in fact he was the ultimate optimist.

I would say I will miss him, but I think he is still around, critiquing our work on a daily basis.

Michael McCoy