Phnam Bagley, MA, MS
Design Division Chair, Conference Committee Chair
Phnam Bagley is a French industrial designer and space architect who designs the future of everything, on and off planet Earth. She co-founded Nonfiction, a design firm that turns science fiction into reality for a better future. Her extensive client list includes NASA, Sierra Space, Intel, Comcast, Halo Neuroscience, Stanford University, Rice University, and more. Examples of her work include neurotech wearables for human health and performance, renewable energy solutions for rural Africa, and space architecture for scientists to work and thrive in space. Her work in design lives at the intersection of cutting-edge science and technology with deeply human interactions, leading her to exclusively work on first-to-market design solutions rich in intellectual property.
All of Phnam's work supports the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and focuses on creating a positive impact for people and the natural world. Since 2016, Nonfiction's body of work has been responsible for more than $750M in fundraising, sales and acquisitions.
Prior to Nonfiction, Phnam worked in prestigious design consultancies like IDEO, Lunar (now McKinsey Design), Matter (now Fjord), and LifestyleDesign. In 2012, she founded Eternal Luxe, a San Francisco-based luxury goods company focused on marrying centuries-old leather crafting techniques with contemporary bag designs.
As an educator, she writes and co-produces Future Future, a video series that demystifies design and the future of everything. She also co-produced Supposedly, a video series that describes what it really takes to practice sustainable hardware engineering and product development. Phnam was an Adjunct Professor of Industrial Design at California College of the Arts (2016-2020). She also teaches creativity and innovation to military generals, police departments andNASA centers.
Phnam sits on several boards, including SciArt Exchange, which develops competitions, art exhibits, and educational tools that merge science, space, and the arts. She is also a board advisor to various companies involved in sustainable manufacturing, neuroscience, and space.
She is a keynote speaker, sharing her stories and insights on international stages like TED, SXSW, and COP. Additionally, she is part of the visioneering team at XPRIZE Foundation, developing new areas of focus for world-changing innovation in health.
Phnam holds a Master of Science in Space Architecture from the Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture, University of Houston (2006) and a Master of Arts in Industrial Design from Strate (Paris, 2005). She also studied industrial design and ceramics at Designskolen Kolding (Denmark, 2003) and traditional leather crafting at Amblard Leather Atelier (San Francisco, 2014).