Hi Michael,
Thanks for the response. I really appreciate it.
I originally posted because when looking up my favorite designers most of them studied either architecture (usually the older ones) or industrial design. Since Stanford doesn’t offer any industrial design and has a very small architecture department I figured I would have to take a more unconventional path --which may turn out to be a good thing.
My aspiration is to make well-crafted products and experiences. The products that most interest me are the ones that blend the engineering and the design seamlessly. Additionally, my favorite designs usually implement an innovative use of materials (e.g a Ferrari F1 Car, the MacPro, and the Eames Lounge Chair). Those are the objects where you know every square inch was methodically chosen.
Of course I am getting ahead of myself. I haven’t even taken any classes yet. I was really just wondering if studying something like Aeronautics and Material Science deeply would provide better foundational skills for an industrial designer than studying product design shallowly.
And thank you again for the advice. I’ll make sure to contact Jason when I get to campus – I could probably use some more guidance.