The Associates
The Biomimicry Design Alliance Associates are a diverse group of people committed to making the built environment complement instead of compete with the planet. Their backgrounds include architecture, biomimicry, biology, ecology, marketing, and engineering.
Cynthia Fishman, Founder + Director
Favorite Organisms: Mantis Shrimp Learn More and Bunny Harvestman Learn More
Cynthia Fishman, AIA | BSpec | NCARB | LEED AP | ACUE | Fitwel Ambassador has an extensive background of 15-years in sustainability and the practice of architecture. Having received her Bachelor of Architecture from Rice University and her Master of Science in Biomimicry from the only accredited program in the world at Arizona State University, she brings vision and leadership to the Biomimicry Design Alliance. Cynthia has also earned the additional accreditation of Biomimicry Specialist (BSpec). She works on all aspects from business development, to biomimicry research, to architectural consulting, to education. Cynthia teaches biomimicry as an adjunct faculty member at The University of Colorado Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning as well as at The Ecosa Institute at Prescott College. In addition to teaching, she has spoken about biomimicry at numerous conferences including the 2017 USGBC Arizona State Conference (keynote), the 2018 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Trend + Design Center, Arcosanti's conference/festival Convergence in 2018, and at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) National’s 2019 Conference on Architecture in Las Vegas. She is also one of the recipients of the 2019 AIA Young Architect Award, the 2018 Engineering News Record (Mountain States Region) Top Young Professionals Award, and AIA Colorado’s Leadership Award in 2015. More Information
Ty Garner
Favorite Organisms: Giant Larvacean Learn More and Ring-Tailed Lemur Learn More
Ty Garner joins the Biomimicry Design Alliance family from a background in environmental science and sustainable envelopment. He spent time at the Earthship Biotecture Academy as a part of his senior thesis, sparking his love for architecture and the environment as a base for quality design. After graduating from Nebraska Wesleyan University with his Bachelors of Science, Ty worked for Sunrun as a Project Coordinator while also assisting in solar design. He is the curator of Global Shapers, an active group sponsored through the World Economic Forum, working to make sustainable and cultural change through volunteer work in the Boulder, CO community. Ty is also currently pursuing his Masters of Architecture from the University of Colorado Denver, with his expected graduation in the spring of 2022. His love of biophilic architecture brought Ty's attention to the Biomimicry Design Alliance, and he hopes to utilize his background and focus in the environmental realm to support the BDA team with his unique skills. More Information
Emma Kline
Favorite Organisms: Eastern Cottonwood Learn More and Northern Flicker Learn More
Emma Kline is an ecologist from Ohio. Before her graduation from Ohio State University in the spring of 2021 with a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Studio Art, she designed and executed her own undergraduate research project studying vampire bat behavior with the Carter Social Bat Lab. She recently completed a field season with the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), where she helped collect data on small mammal and insect populations for a 30-year study into environmental change across North America. Emma’s interest in biomimicry stems from her love of nature’s complexity, and her desire to live in a society that prioritizes the well-being of its human and nonhuman communities. She believes that the key to approaching today’s environmental issues rests in working across boundaries, and she is incredibly excited to learn from the architects and designers of Biomimicry Design Alliance. More Information