Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey Campus Queretaro Team 2

Andrea Escobar Bazaldúa is an industrial engineer and industrial designer with a Master’s degree in Industrial Design, specialized in Computer-Aided Design, from Universidad Nebrija. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering with a minor in Systems Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey, where she graduated with a Diploma of Excellence in Integral Formation. Her professional interests focus on innovation-driven product development, design education, and process improvement. She has experience working across interdisciplinary environments and has participated in academic, student leadership, and cultural initiatives. Certified as a Vizcom trainer, Andrea integrates advanced visualization tools and technical approaches into her teaching practice. Her background in systems engineering supports a holistic and analytical perspective that enriches her work in design and education.

José Antonio Sáenz de Miera-Cuatlayol is an Industrial Designer with a Master’s in Architecture and New Urbanism, both from Tecnológico de Monterrey. He brings over 16 years of experience combining academia and professional practice, especially in the furniture industry. He currently serves as Associate Director of the Design Department in the Central-Southern Region at Tecnológico de Monterrey. His academic roles have included professor, program director, and curriculum co-designer for the Tec21 model. José Antonio has received multiple teaching awards, including “Inspiring Professor” and recognition in the “Circle of Distinguished Professors.” He has led research initiatives such as the Sensory Urban Laboratory and has mentored students whose work has been recognized in international competitions including Jump Chile, RSA Awards, James Dyson Award, and Diseña México. His teaching spans product design, innovation, and entrepreneurship with a strong emphasis on applied, socially responsible design.

Juan José Ramos-Álvarez is an industrial designer with extensive experience in product development and design strategy for global brands in the home appliance sector. He has led design and engineering teams at Whirlpool Corporation and has contributed to the development of Visual Brand Languages, CMF strategies, and user-centered design for brands such as KitchenAid, JennAir, Panasonic, and Thermador. He served as Design Studios Manager and Visual Brand Language Leader at Whirlpool, overseeing multi-regional design strategies and product roadmaps. Since 2018, he has directed DX Design Experience, a consultancy focused on innovation and product design, including projects such as the Mexico City International Airport expansion. Juan José brings deep expertise in design engineering, 3D modeling, and usability research, along with a strong background in mentoring and teaching in academic and professional contexts.

Xóchitl del Carmen Arias-González is a design researcher and educator with a transdisciplinary background in design, linguistics, and visual communication. She currently serves as the national coordinator of the Future Design Lab, where she leads initiatives focused on advanced design processes for sustainable transformation. Her work emphasizes meaning-making, systems thinking, and strategic design, fostering collaboration across disciplines and sectors. Xóchitl has taught courses in human factors, prospective design, entrepreneurship, and research methodologies, encouraging students to integrate critical reflection and futures thinking into their design practice. Known for her ability to build coherence and facilitate collective vision, she promotes design as a tool for inclusive, regenerative, and socially engaged innovation. Her approach supports the development of projects that question dominant narratives and imagine transformative alternatives.

Luis Miguel Gutiérrez Contreras is the National Program Director for the Industrial Design undergraduate program at Tecnológico de Monterrey. With extensive experience in curriculum design, educational innovation, and academic leadership, he leads the national academic strategy for the Industrial Design program across multiple campuses. His professional and academic work explores the intersection of design, technology, and cultural studies, with a particular interest in the role of design in shaping sustainable and inclusive futures. He has taught extensively in areas such as product development, technological innovation, speculative design, and design futures. As a researcher, he focuses on the epistemological foundations of design and its capacity to respond to complex social and environmental challenges. Through his leadership, he promotes academic coherence, excellence in teaching, and the positioning of design education as a catalyst for systemic transformation.