Hye Jun Youn | 윤혜준
Hye Jun Youn is a designer and materials science researcher at the MIT Media Lab’s Tangible Media Group, led by Professor Hiroshi Ishii.
She previously conducted research at the Harvard Graduate School of Design’s Material Processes and Systems (MaP+S) Group and at Harvard SEAS’s Bertoldi Lab. Her work focuses on the design, fabrication, and functionality of novel materials for creative applications in industrial, engineering, and architectural contexts, as well as in toolkits accessible to artists, designers, and everyday users.
“Youn's research includes using material science to create innovative interactive designs and better user experience.” - Forbes 30 Under 30
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Education
MIT Media Lab
Tangible Media Group
LEGO Papert Fellows, 2025-6
Harvard Graduate School of Design
MDes Mediums | Technology, 2023
2 Years of Dean’s Merit Scholarship
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
M.F.A in Digital Media, 2020
2 Years of Fellowship with Assistantship
New York University
B.S. in Psychology (track in Social Psychology and Perception)
Double Minor in Studio Art / Digital Art and Design
Honors: Dean’s List 2014 - 2018
Selected Awards
Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia
Industry, Manufacturing, Energy, May 2022
Red dot Design Concept Award, Singapore
Winner, July 2022
Core77 Design Award
Winner, June 2022
Harvard Venture Capital, Cambridge, MA
15K Grand Fund, Sep 2021
iF Design Award
Winner, Sep 2021
Red dot Design Concept Award, Singapore
Winner, July 2021
A’design Awards
Silver Award, April 2021
IDSA Award
Finalist, April 2021
TEI Art and Performance Residency, Salzburg, Austria
One of two selected artists, 2021
HackBrown 2020, Providence, RI
Best Real World Application, 2020
HackHarvard 2019, Cambridge, MA
Best Overall Hack (2nd Place), 2019
Best UX/UI Design, 2019
HackNY 2019, New York, NY
Best Use of Giphy SDK Award, 2019
MIT Hacking Arts 2019, Cambridge, MA
Finalist, 2019
Interests
#travel 🧳 #knitting 🧶 #shibainu 🐕 #reptiles 🦎 #insects 🐞 #plants 🌱 #cooking 🍳 #drawing ✍️ #softball 🥎 #manga 😀 #photo 📸
