I love exploring the world of things.
Where do they come from? What’s inside? How do they fall into disrepair, and what do people do about it? Our planet is impacted by consumption to a degree that no one expected and few understand. I’m trying to get a handle on it.
Along the way, I’ve raised a bit of a ruckus. My work with Right to Repair has inspired legislation enshrining consumer rights around the world. I’m also the CEO of iFixit, the free repair manual.
Forbes
Makiko Lizuka and Forbes Japan spent an issue covering people who are creating the rules for the future.
EFF Awardee
I was honored to receive an award from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the preeminent digital rights advocacy organization.
Cal Poly Distinguished Alumni
My alma mater awarded me with the highest honor bestowed upon Cal Poly alumni.
Talks
Melbourne: Wheeler Center Keynote
I was invited to Australia to tell the story of iFixit and our hopes for the circular economy. We were joined by a guest fixer.
London FixFest: Discussion with Allison Powell
A lively discussion at the London School of Economics about IoT, cybersecurity, and the successes of the Right to Repair campaign.
Repair 2.0
Our vision for iFixit has stayed remarkably consistent over the years. Includes some e-waste footage from my travels in Ghana.
Sustainable Innovation: Samsung’s Note7 Screwup
Make do and mend: why repair is necessary for resource efficiency, and how Samsung isn’t moving in the right direction.
Writing
The Atlantic: Fix Things, Never Force It: Lessons From Grandpa
Remembering a tinkerer in an age of silicon and code.
Wired: We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Very Idea of Ownership
It’s official: John Deere and General Motors want to eviscerate the notion of ownership.
Scientific American: The Right to Repair Should be Protected by Law
It's high time Congress fixes copyright law.
iFixit: iPhone 15 Teardown Reveals Software Lockdown
Deep dive into the technology making the iPhone 15 work.
Wired: We Should Be Allowed to Unlock Everything We Own
The line between hardware and software, physical and digital has blurred.
Harvard Business Review: I Won't Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here's Why.
Your company is only as good as your writing.
Photography
Mining catastrophe: Bento Rodrigues
The largest environmental disaster in Brazil’s history.
Now, Bento Rodrigues is off limits to humans
Villagers want to rebuild but the repaired dam isn’t safe yet.
Akihabara radio town
Some repair components never go out of style.
Fixing a hair straightener
Generational exchange of know-how at the Restart Project.
Aurora borealis
Clear night in the highlands of Iceland.
Water from rock
Layered rock traps meltwater until it doesn’t.