About
Designer, Researcher, Engineer
Skills
Digital 2D & 3D
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Adobe Creative Suite
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CAD Solidworks, Rhino, NX, AutoCAD,
Grasshopper, Keyshot, Octane,
Zbrush, Cinema 4D -
CAM MaterCAM
3D printing, CNC, Laser cutting -
StyleGAN Training with Phython
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Figma
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Physical Prototyping
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Wood / Metal / Foam / Paper Forming
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Wax / Clay Sculpting, Mold-making, Casting
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Arduino
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Research
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Brainstorming, Storytelling,
Competitive market analysis, User testing,
Data visualization
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Awards & Exhibitions
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RISD Fellowship (2019 & 2020)
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Fred M. Roddy Scholarship (2019 & 2020)
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RISD ID Triennial Exhibition (2019)
Elena is a multidisciplinary designer and researcher currently studying as a grad student at RISD. Drawing upon a background in mechanical engineering, she pursued industrial design to further develop her creative process. With the solid foundation of engineering and a passion for nature & human relationships, sustainability and biodesign, her goal is to utilize design thinking to build a bridge between art, science, engineering and the public.
Education
01 / 2019 - on going
Rhode Island School of Design | Master’s Degree of Industrial Design
02 / 2020 - 05 / 2020
Brown University | Coursework: Innovation and Commercialization in Medical Devices, Diagnostics, and Wearables
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02 / 2019 - 05 / 2019
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Coursework: Product Design and Development
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09 / 2014 - 07 / 2018
Beijing Jiaotong University | Bachelor’s Degree of Mechanical Engineering
Experience
01 / 2020 - 08 / 2020
Student Researcher | RISD & Hyundai Motor Group | Providence
· RISD and Hyundai Collaborative Partnership brings the deep expertise and experience together to look creatively at the relationships among the natural and built-environments and towards solutions for the future of mobility, urban change through mobility, and sustainable solutions for our built environment.
· Created two research-based, speculative design projects in collaboration with a multidisciplinary group of four designers and Hyundai UAM Team.
1) Microbial Cosmologies: An immersive project speculating a posthuman future of mobility based on a re-defined relationship between human and the microbial world.
2) From Order to Chaos: A multi-media project that employed styleGAN, 3D modeling, and ambisonic sound design, to investigate how forms emerge in nature as the boundary between the natural and the artificial becomes obsolete.
06 / 2020 - 08 / 2020
Pedagogical Innovation Assistant | Rhode Island School of Design | Providence
· Supporting research and academic work related to the Arthur Loeb Design Science Collection at RISD Nature Lab, my work included: documenting selected works, developing an explorational process and creating visual materialsfor understanding geometric polyhedral structures.
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01 / 2020 - 08 / 2020
Graduate Admission Assistant | Rhode Island School of Design | Providence
· Reviewing admission applications, coordinating assessment operations, setting up interviews and answering applicant emails.
06 / 2019 - 09 / 2019
R&D Industrial Designer Intern | Aibee Inc. | Beijing
· Working with robotics team, I designed and developed a real-time mapping data collecting bckpack used for immersive VR navigation both at a laboratory and consumer level.
02 / 2019 - 06 / 2019
Teaching Assistant at RISD | Designing with Solidworks | Providence
· The purpose of the course is to expose students to Solidworks. My job working as TA included Q&A, helping students learn to use software and analysis the structure and components of their design objects.
09 / 2018 - 11 / 2018
Product Designer Intern | Kidtopia Children’s Museum | Beijing
· Cooperating with STEAM educators, I designed products and exhibits for kids to better understand urban public infrastructure system. I also participated in children behaviors research and user testing.
01 / 2018 - 06 / 2018
Creative Brand Designer Intern | Overseas Marketing Department, Ofo | Beijing
· Cooperated with the design team in strengthening and coordinating the branding strategy of overseas marketing department. Participated in the planning of the exhibition & event of SXSW(South by Southwest Festival) 2018, Austin. Designed and developed the branding peripheral products and related graphic works.
06 / 2017 – 07 / 2017
Junior Engineer Intern | Taiyuan Heavy Industries | Taiyuan
· Cooperated in the company’s routine. Worked in the mechanical manufacturing workshop of wheels and axles of high-speed train, learned to operate devices in production departments.
10 / 2017 – 07 / 2016
Framework Lead & Designer| Green Energy-conservation Vehicle Team | Beijing
· Our team designed and built the geen energy-conservation vehicle and won the 3rd Prize in 10th Honda China Eco Milage Challenge. Working as the framework lead and industrial designer, my main responsibility in the teamwork is frame and body design and integrant layout.
