ABOUT ME
EMMAKOPPLIN.NET
About me
I’m a cultural anthropologist and graphic designer turned senior product designer, building products from Nebraska. My background in research taught me to pay attention to patterns, workarounds, contradictions, and the quiet ways people make sense of the world. Design gave me the tools to turn those observations into action. The result is a practice rooted in curiosity, empathy, systems thinking, and a belief that good products begin with understanding people.
Outside of my digital practice, you'll usually find me with my hands in the soil. I'm deeply interested in ecology, environmental stewardship, and the social infrastructure that allows communities to feed themselves. Much of my time is spent contributing to projects like Free Farm Syndicate, Blazing Star Seed Coop, and Groundwater Farmer’s Almanac, where neighbors work together to grow, save, and distribute food outside conventional systems.
Check out my case studies...
Through the program, I’ve completed residencies in the Netherlands, Mexico, and Portugal, with upcoming residencies in Estonia and Spain.
Urban Growing
What draws me to food work is the same thing that drew me to anthropology and design: a fascination with how people organize themselves to meet shared needs. Food is the oldest and most essential system we have, yet many of the structures that govern it have become increasingly complex, fragile, and disconnected from place. I'm interested in exploring alternatives ways of growing, sharing, and distributing food that are more resilient, intuitive, and rooted in community. Whether I'm designing software or harvesting tomatoes, I'm ultimately asking the same question: how can we build systems that make life a little easier, more connected, and more human?
ABOUT ME
EMMAKOPPLIN.NET