College for Creative Studies

Melanie McClintock is a designer, researcher, and Chair of the Graduate Color and Materials Design (CMD) program at the College for Creative Studies. With over twenty years of experience in the fashion industry and academia—spanning New York, Qatar, Indonesia, and Detroit—she focuses on the vital intersection of science and design. Her research, including Point of Origin and The Ruderal Material Project, explores how biological signals inspire new CMF applications that are both creative and industrially viable. As an educator, Melanie prioritizes sustainability and circularity, challenging students to find innovative solutions within waste streams. For the Biodesign Challenge, she directs research into the "Living Finish," exploring how extractions from food waste can be transformed into high-performance, resilient surfaces. Her work balances evocative storytelling with technical rigor, preparing the next generation of designers to lead in the field of responsible material innovation.