How It Started

Michael sitting in car with graduation cap

Quick Backstory

It all started with the greatest toy on Earth: LEGO. I loved being hands-on and letting my imagination roam free.

Once I had access to a computer lab in middle school, that drive turned digital. I played around with Photoshop for the first time and learned all I could. At the same time, I was becoming even more fascinated by everything STEM— joining the nerdiest clubs at my school and getting fully sucked into engineering projects at home.

As I learned more, I worked on even bigger projects. Clearly, I was an engineer with a creative heart, but there's no job in the world that can combine both, right?

Mid-assembly project of music equalizer

Learning by Doing

Not only did I discover product design at Stanford, but I also discovered the Product Realization Lab. There, I could experiment with different mediums and tools, learn from other students, and get inspired. Some of my favorite projects, like Lumi, the music visualizer, were created there.

When it comes to digital projects, learning by doing is even easier. I'm entirely self taught in the Adobe programs, and each project constantly builds upon the previous one. I used the same practice to build Choreo and this website, too!

I think of myself as a quick learner, partially because I really enjoy it.

Not Just a Designer

World Traveler

Outside of projects and design, I love to travel. I've been fortunate enough to visit 22 countries and 77 cities, spanning 5 continents. I studied abroad in Florence in college, and I made the most of the 10 weekends I had there.

Trolley in Taksim Square at Istanbul India Gate in Mumbai YSL Museum in Marrakesh Teotihuacan outside Mexico City

Outdoor Explorer

Since I grew up in what felt like the middle of nowhere, Pennsylvania, I always loved the outdoors. I'd frequently go on hikes and teach myself how to snowboard in the winter. I've gone ziplining, taken road trips to multiple state and national parks, and even went skydiving! Now that I live in the city, I try to keep up that spirit by exploring new parts whenever I get the chance.

Standing on rock formation in Acadia View of Lake Tahoe from ski lift Michael ziplining in Costa Rican rainforest

Reach Out!

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MSEZEN@ALUMNI.STANFORD.EDU