Hye-Jin Nae Headshot

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
LinkedIn
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.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. "Digital Literacy and Capacity Building to Counter Extremist Narratives." Digital Forum on Terrorism Prevention. Carnegie Mellon University. Pittsburgh, PA. 11 Sep. 2019. Conference Presentation.
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.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. Indigo Design Awards. Freelancer of the Year 2021-Shortlist Winners. Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2021.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. The American Advertising Awards. Gold, Online Interactive Digital Publications, Campaign. Rochester, NY, 2021.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. W3 Awards. Gold, Mobile App & Sites. New York, NY, 2021.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. Communication Arts Design Competition. Finalist, Identity Manual. Menlo Park, CA, 2020.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. RIT College of Art & Design. Frank J. Romano Endowed Prize for Publishing Entrepreneurship. Rochester, NY, 2020.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. Graphic Design USA. Winner, UX Design Application, American Web Design Award. New York City, NY, 2020.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. UCDA. Gold, Mobile Application, UCDA Design Awards. Smyrna, TN, 2020.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. UCDA. Excellence, Digital Design, UCDA Design Awards. Smyrna, TN, 2020.
Nae, Hye-Jin. Graphic Design USA. Winner, Public Service, American Graphic Design Awards. New York City, NY, 2020.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Miguel Cardona. UCDA. Judges Choice, Digital Design, UCDA Design Awards. Smyrna, TN, 2020.
Nae, Hye-Jin, Adam Smith, and David Borkholder, PhD. Personalized Healthcare Technology Research Initiative at RIT. Winner, GDUSA American Inhouse Design Awards. New York, New York, 2018.
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.
Nae, Hye-Jin. "Typography Education in an Interdisciplinary Program Through Inclusive Projects." Proceedings of the Typography Day 2017, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, Feb 23-25, 2017. Ed. Dr. Sumanthri Samarawickrama and Prof. Ravi Poovaiah. Katubedda, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka: n.p., 2017. Web.
Nae, Hye-Jin and Tim Wood. "Design is STEM! Understanding Interdisciplinary Design Practice, Education and Research." Proceedings of the AIGA Converge, LA, University of Southern California, June 1-3, 2017. Ed. Jessica Barness, et al. Los Angeles, CA: n.p., 2017. Web.
Nae, Hye-Jin. "Motion Design for Data Visualization and Interactive Prototypes." Proceedings of the Motion Design Education Summit 2017. Ed. Andre Murnieks and Rebecca Tegtmeyer. Columbus, OH: Routledge/Focal Press, 2017. Web.
Nae, Hye-Jin. "Multidisciplinary New Media Design Undergraduate Program." Proceedings of the Digital Media and Learning Conference. Ed. Andres Lombana-Bermudez, et al. Irvine, CA: DML, 2017. Web.
Nae, Hye-Jin. "An Interdisciplinary Design Education Framework." Proceedings of the Design for Next. Ed. Loredana Di Lucchio, Lorenzo Imbesi, and Paul Atkinson. Rome, Italy: Taylor & Francis, UK, ISBN 978-1-138-09023-1, 2017. Web.
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

  • April 5, 2024

    Hye-Jin Nae is shown sitting in an orange chair with her hand posed under her chin.

    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.

  • February 15, 2024

    An overhead view of the MAGIC Spell Studios atrium, where people playlets That Damn Goat.

    Inside the making of 'That Damn Goat,' RIT's latest video game

    Chaos is the only constant in "That Damn Goat," a party, "anti-Covid" video game made by around 60 RIT faculty, students and staff. The project was led by School of Film and Animation faculty Brian Larson (creative director) and Jesse O'Brien (art director).

  • May 6, 2021

    environmental portrait of student Stephanie Liu.

    New media design graduate taking talents to Amazon Web Services

    While she’ll look back on the pandemic as a most challenging time, graduating new media design student Stephanie Liu also takes pride in knowing how well she rose to the occasion. At the culmination of her internship with Amazon Web Services, the Chicago native was offered a full-time position as a user experience (UX) designer, starting in July.

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