Hye-Jin Nae

Associate Professor

School of Design

College of Art and Design

hxnfaa@rit.edu

Office Location

GAN-1185

Office Mailing Address

73 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY 14623-5603

Hye-Jin Nae

Associate Professor

School of Design

College of Art and Design

Bio

Hye-Jin Nae is a leading UI/UX design expert, renowned for creating cutting-edge solutions for data-driven interfaces, mobile apps, websites, software, and design systems across a wide range of product spaces. Her collaborative research includes projects with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Institute of Health (NIH), where she developed interactive solutions addressing complex interactions between users, technology, and content.

Hye-Jin has received notable recognition as an accomplished educator: the Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching (RIT’s highest recognition for teaching excellence), the Norman A. Miles Award for Academic Excellence in Teaching, a mentor of the Community Impact Award, and others at RIT. Her pedagogical research focuses on advancing curriculum development that supports the intersection and integrates design education across multiple disciplines.

Prior to joining RIT, Hye-Jin held positions as Creative Director and Lead Experience Architect at EffectiveUI, Lead Designer at Yahoo!, and Senior Visual Interaction Designer at Kodak. In these roles, she designed and developed user experiences and interfaces for consumer products, online media, digital and mobile solutions, and various emerging form factors. Additionally, she worked on projects for clients such as American Express, Pepsi, Honeywell, TIAA, Fidelity, Barnes & Noble, BlueCross BlueShield, Adobe, Sengled, and Ogilvy, among others.

Her professional work has earned her multiple US design patents and prestigious accolades, including iF Communication Awards, Webby Awards, International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) recognition, Communication Arts Design Awards, w3 Awards, International Design Awards, American Graphic Design Awards, Businessweek features, MITX Interactive Awards, Communicator Awards, and American Advertising Awards, as a few examples. She serves as a judge for international design awards including Anthem Awards, w3 Awards, Communicator Awards, and Davey Awards. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Fashion and Textiles from Sungshin Women's University, a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin, and an MFA in Computer Graphics Design from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

hxnfaa@rit.edu

Personal Links

Personal Website

ORCID

Areas of Expertise

User Experience Design

Access/Healthcare Technology

Select Scholarship

Published Game, Application or Software

Nae, Hye-Jin, et al. Game That Damn Goat for Nintendo Switch. Game. Nintendo Switch, MAGIC Spell Studios, LLC. 2024.

Nae, Hye-Jin, et al. Game That Damn Goat for PC. Game. Steam, MAGIC Spell Studios, LLC. 2023.

Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. Ex-Out Creativity Handbook. Phone or Smart Device App. MAGIC Spell Studios, LLC. 2020.

Journal Paper

Nae, Hye-Jin and Adam Smith. "Preparing for Now and the Future User Experience with Interdisciplinary Projects." Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal—Annual Review 16. 1 (2023): 151-161. doi:10.18848/1833-1874/CGP/v16i01/151-161. Web.

Invited Keynote/Presentation

Nae, Hye-Jin and Adam Smith. "Preparing for Now and The Future Human Experience with Interdisciplinary Projects." The Sixteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices. University of Newcastle. Newcastle, Australia. 19 Jan. 2022. Conference Presentation.

Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. "Building a System of Open Access Digital Materials for Creative Online Activism." the Fifteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices (virtual). University of Monterrey. Monterrey, Mexico. 5 May 2021. Conference Presentation.

Nae, Hye-Jin, et al. "On Human-Centered Design Panel Discussion." ITX UX 2019: Beyond the Pixels. ITX. Rochester, NY. 5 Oct. 2019. Conference Presentation.

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National/International Competition Award Winner

Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. International Design Awards. Bronze, Multimedia/Mobile/Web Application Design. Los Angeles, CA, 2021.

Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. Indigo Design Awards. Gold, Apps for Social Change, Freelancer. Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2021.

Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. Indigo Design Awards. Gold, Integrated Graphic Design for Social Change, Freelancer. Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2021.

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Published Conference Proceedings

Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. "Reestablishing a Collaborative Research Project Practice in an Academic Environment." Proceedings of the UCDA Design Education Summit. Ed. Michael Clayton, Johnathon Strube. Smyrna, TN: University & College Designers Association, 2021. Print.

Nae, Hye-Jin. "Experience, Learn and Design to be Inclusive, Raise Awareness and Persuade in an Interdisciplinary Program." Proceedings of the AIGA National Design Conference, Design Education Symposium, April 4–6, 2019, Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, CA. Ed. The AIGA Design Educators Community (DEC). Pasadena, California: n.p., 2019. Print.

Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. "Stealing Bubblegum: Design Ethics and Intentionality." Proceedings of the FITC Spotlight: Design Ethics. Ed. FITC. Toronto, ON: n.p., 2019. Web.

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Full Patent

Nae, Hye-Jin, et al. "Graphical User Interface for Computer Screen." U.S. Patent D612860. 20 Mar. 2010.

Nae, Hye-Jin, et al. "Transitional Computer User Interface for a Display Screen." U.S. Patent D621850. 17 Aug. 2010.

Peer Reviewed/Juried Poster Presentation or Conference Paper

Nae, Hye-Jin. "The Design Guide." Proceedings of the Provosts' Learning Innovation Grants 2018 Showcase. Ed. RIT Innovative Learning Institute. Rochester, NY: n.p..

Currently Teaching

NMDE-201

New Media Design Elements II

3 Credits

Information design for static, dynamic and interactive multimedia integrates content with visual indicators. Legibility and clear communication of information and direction is important to the success of any user interface design. This course integrates imagery, type, icons, actions, color, visual hierarchy, and information architecture as a foundation to design successful interactive experiences.

NMDE-301

New Media Design Elements III

3 Credits

This course focuses on advanced visual communication within the current new media design profession. Through formal studies and perceptual understanding, including aesthetics, graphic form and structure, concept development and visual organization methods, students will design sophisticated solutions to communication problems. This course integrates imagery, typography, icons, user interface design, content creation and information architecture in order to design successful static, motion and interactive experiences.

NMDE-599

New Media Design Independent Study

1 - 6 Credits

New Media Design Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser, will propose a course of study. New Media Design Independent Study students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll.

In the News

January 22, 2025

Design alumna makes smooth transition to industry

The experience Julia Tenney '24 had in RIT's new media design program set her up for success in her current role as a UI designer at Procter & Gamble.
August 23, 2024

RIT students urged to launch dreams in their new journeys

More than 3,100 new RIT students got their official welcome Thursday, first parading past cheering faculty and staff in the annual Tiger Walk, then in the Gordon Field House and Activities Center for some friendly advice during this year’s Fall Convocation for New Students.
April 5, 2024

Design professor personalizes support to help students grow

Nae is among the recipients of the 2024 Eisenhart Awards for Outstanding Teaching. After teaching at RIT for over a decade, her passion and attentive approach to education continues to shine, especially when talking about her students’ successes.

More News

Featured Work

Interactive visual explanation

New Media Design, Elements III, Junior, UI/UX & Prototype

Interactive visual explanation explains an idea, a process, relationships, or a complex concept through a larger device-based solution. Gather the information/data and communicate it in a visually...

Interactive procedural information design

New Media Design, Elements III, Junior, UI/UX & Prototype

Interactive procedural information solutions that explain how and why specific processes occur. The project requires designers to effectively distill complex information into its most accessible form...

Real time data visualization

New Media Design, Interactive IV, Senior, UI/UX & Prototype

An exploration of the innovative real time data forms. Students explore visual representation of data, examine principles for visualizing numerical information, and distill real time data in order to...

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