Industrial Design

Jun 10, 2025

Spring 2025 Designlife Magazine

The spring issue of Designlife magazine is here! Explore this issue for stories on the magazine’s new look and feel, the incredible work done by faculty, students and alumni and…

Jun 10, 2025

Designing Dignity: Jabria Oliver’s Fight Against Period Poverty

Period poverty, defined as the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, safe facilities and adequate education, is a global issue affecting millions of people. For women experiencing homelessness, this often-overlooked challenge exacerbates an already precarious situation, forcing them to make impossible choices between basic needs. In an industry crowded with consumer electronics, automobiles and medical devices, Jabria Oliver, a recent graduate of the Master of Industrial Design program, is working to create a prominent space designing for social impact.

Jun 3, 2025

Meet the newest members of the College of Design Leaders Council for 2025

The College of Design is excited to welcome six new members to its Leaders Council. Established in 2010, the Leaders Council of the NC State College of Design is a select group of alumni and friends in design-related professions across the country.

May 9, 2025

Congratulations, Spring 2025 Graduates!

The College of Design is proud to celebrate the graduates of the spring 2025 class.

Apr 29, 2025

Remembering Vincent M. Foote, FIDSA

The College of Design is saddened to share that Vincent M. Foote, FIDSA passed away on April 25, 2025. Foote was a longtime member of the College of Design’s industrial design faculty, influencing countless students over his forty-year teaching career. 

Apr 3, 2025

“Design is about relationships” – Kelly Umstead named 2024-25 University Faculty Scholar

Kelly Umstead, MID faculty member and director of graduate programs for industrial design, was recently named one of NC State’s 2024-25 University Faculty Scholars. We’re excited to highlight Kelly’s achievements in the college and learn more about her. 

Apr 2, 2025

New Faculty Innovators in Design: Spotlight on Yuanqing Tian

As we showcase new faculty, we are excited to highlight Yuanqing “Ching” Tian, an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at North Carolina State University. With over 11 years of design experience, Ching’s research focuses on custom-fit wearable product design, leveraging 3D scanning technologies, parametric design, and digital fabrication. Her work aims to improve human health and wellness while promoting diversity and inclusion in design. Ching is passionate about exploring human-centered design opportunities through emerging technologies and enhancing ergonomics for diverse populations.

Feb 18, 2025

New Faculty Innovators in Design: Spotlight on Byungsoo Kim

Byungsoo Kim is an assistant professor in industrial design in the NC State College of Design. As part of our spotlight on new faculty, we are excited to highlight his teaching and expertise in product visualization and master’s-level studio projects, showcasing the innovative perspectives he brings to the College of Design.

Feb 17, 2025

College of Design Signs MOU with National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) 

The College of Design at NC State University has signed an MOU with the Faculty of Architecture of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México (UNAM) to promote academic and research activities between the two institutions and further affirm the value of international collaboration. Collaborations with UNAM will allow the college to extend its involvement in global issues related to urbanization and the environment and translate that knowledge into teaching and practice through the lens of a global framework. 

Sep 3, 2024

Recent Grad Brings Home 2024 IDSA Student Merit Award

Industrial Design alumnus Danny Wang [BID '24] recently won the IDSA Student Merit Award for the South District. This means Danny will compete at the International Design Conference & Education Symposium in Austin, Texas September 11-13 for the national award.

Jul 26, 2024

Audrey Lankford Barnes joins College of Design as Department Head of Graphic Design and Industrial Design

The College of Design at North Carolina State University is pleased to announce the appointment of Audrey Lankford Barnes as the new Department Head of Graphic Design and Industrial Design, effective August 1, 2024. Barnes joins us from James Madison University (JMU), where she served as an Associate Professor and Area Head of Industrial Design in the School of Art, Design and Art History.

Jul 16, 2024

Crowning Glory: Industrial Design Alumna Featured at CAM

Samantha Everette's love for photography began while studying abroad in Ghana as an industrial design student. Equipped for the first time with a semi-professional camera, she immediately experienced the joy of capturing portraits of people and their culture. Now, her work is making waves in the Triangle's creative community.

Jul 15, 2024

Designing a Path Through Mental Health: Wellness in the First Year Experience

Following several major grants awarded to the College of Design by the NC State University Foundation, the First Year Experience has blossomed into a program that integrates wellness and mental health awareness into an interdisciplinary design curriculum. The College of Design is a very close-knit community, and most of the first year involves practicing intellectual risk-taking through studio-based learning. The wellness-informed curriculum was created because the freshman experience in design bridges the vast threshold or transition between high school and college where students are expected to routinely fail and subsequently grow through trial and error.

Apr 30, 2024

Be Transported to the Wild and Wacky Dimensions of Art2Wear 2024

On a balmy spring evening, in a packed house at Stewart Theater, students from the College of Design and across the university paraded their collections as part of Art2Wear 2024, pulling the audience into another dimension.  With each collection, designers led us into their own worlds, from the depths of the ocean to wind-swept dunes, even traveling into outer space. The eight designers who showcased collections of four or more looks came from disciplines across the college, and their fields of study influenced their final looks.

Oct 13, 2023

Exploring Connection through Paper Form

This year's First Year Experience Paper project was all about connection - the connections we make with others, with our surroundings, and with ourselves. First-year students in the College of Design were tasked with creating a wearable or inhabitable structure that examines how we related to one another. Pieces created by the students were meant to raise awareness of interpersonal relationships in new and nuance ways, and were primarily constructed using paper or fiber with minimal fasteners, adhesives or support.

Jul 7, 2023

Back to the Pack: Mary Hauser

Mary Hauser is the Associate Director and Registrar at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design. Hauser earned her Bachelor of Industrial Design in 2001, and her Master of Industrial Design in 2004 at the College of Design. She shared her story from her time as a student to her time with NC State as a professional in the second installment of Back to the Pack.

Jun 23, 2023

Back to the Pack: Luna Vanaman

Luna Vanaman earned her Bachelor of Industrial Design from the College of Design in 2000, and currently works as the lead interactive media producer for NC State University's Communications Office. She shared her story from her time as a student to her time with NC State as a professional as part of our new series, Back to the Pack.

May 23, 2023

Celebrating A Decade of Collaboration with Eastman  

Compostable takeout containers. Cosmetics packaging. Ready to assemble furniture. These are just a few of the sponsored studio projects the NC State College of Design has conceptualized for real-world applications with industry partner Eastman. They have maintained an active partnership with the College of Design over the past ten years, resulting in nine invention disclosures, five applications and one patent.

May 10, 2023

College of Design Faculty win NC State Awards in Teaching and Research

Six College of Design faculty were recognized with awards from the Alumni Association, Graduate School, Libraries and Office of the Provost this spring.

Apr 26, 2023

Celebrating Alumni + Friends Weekend and the Designlife Gala

The College of Design celebrated Alumni + Friends Weekend and the Designlife Gala on April 21-22, 2023. The college was delighted to see so many friendly faces back on campus, touring our studios, and connecting with former classmates and colleagues at the reunions by the decade. The weekend's events culminated with the Designlife Gala at the JC Raulston Arboretum on Saturday night.

Apr 11, 2023

Winners from the 2023 Graduate Research Symposium Announced

Three College of Design students were winners at the Graduate Student Research Symposium. Marybeth Campeau (Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning) won first place, with Daniel Garrett (Advanced Architectural Studies) and Keagan Vargo (Industrial Design) winning second and third place, respectively.

Feb 23, 2023

Department Head of Graphic Design and Industrial Design Tsai Lu Liu Has Been Named Dean at Virginia Tech’s College of Architecture, Arts and Design

Tsai Lu Liu, head of the Department of Graphic Design and Industrial Design at NC State’s College of Design, will be leaving the university after 11 years. He has been named the dean of the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design at Virginia Tech. In his tenure as department head, Liu has transformed the department through corporate partnerships, student academic life and philanthropy. He has been working with the faculty and college leadership to increase the diversity of both faculty and students in the program.

Feb 2, 2023

Russell Flinchum, College of Design faculty, authors new book on pioneer of industrial design Henry Dreyfuss

Russell Flinchum, associate professor of industrial design, is the co-author of a new book: Henry Dreyfuss: Designing for People. Henry Dreyfuss: Designing for People reveals the work of Dreyfuss's talented, hand-picked staff and explores how together they influenced nearly a century of industrial design.

Jan 18, 2023

75 Years of Leading by Design: College of Design Celebrates a Momentous Milestone

The College of Design celebrates its 75th anniversary throughout 2023 with a series of lectures, events, alumni weekends, and more.

Dec 7, 2022

Design For ImpACCt Promotes Design Innovation To Solve Social Problems

Students from NC State College of Design, Boston College, Clemson University, and Virginia Tech partner each year for design summits as part of the Design for ImpACCt program to develop creative solutions to real-world social problems.

Nov 22, 2022

3 Tips for Collaboration from a College of Design Professor

For the last 7 years, LAS collaborator Sharon Joines has used her expertise in industrial design, human centered design, and ergonomics to help the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences (LAS) advise other cross-sector collaborators on how to work better together. She shares how researchers from different sectors can more effectively communicate to support the lab's analytic prototyping projects.

Oct 13, 2022

Not Just for Looks: Industrial Design Students Reimagine Cosmetics Packaging

Industrial Design students at the College of Design worked with Eastman Chemical Company to create refillable, reusable and rechargeable (“R/R”) packaging for the luxury cosmetics industry. In the studio, students worked with Eastman’s Tritan™, Cristal™, or Cristal™ One materials – each created to reduce plastic waste without compromising product aesthetic and usability.

Oct 10, 2022

For my sister, your sister, our sisters. 

Master of Industrial Design student Alan Yeh was approached by the NC State Iranian Student Association to spread awareness around the death of Mahsa Amini and the challenges Iranian women face.

Sep 21, 2022

Industrial Design Graduate Wins Gold at 2022 IDEA Awards

Master of Industrial Design graduate, Abby Scheer, recently won Gold in the Student Category for the 2022 IDSA IDEA Awards. The award is considered by many to be the most prestigious product and industrial design award in the United States.

Sep 15, 2022

Meet our newest members: College of Design Leaders Council

The College of Design is excited to welcome four new members to its Leaders Council. Members of the Leaders Council support the college’s strategic direction, assist in securing financial resources to achieve its long-range goals and actively advocate for the college’s vision to become the leading public interdisciplinary design college in the country.

Jul 14, 2022

Student Brings Home 2022 IDSA Top Prize

Master of Industrial Design student Maggie Jarrett has been named the 2022 IDSA Graduate Student Merit Award winner for the South District.

Jun 27, 2022

2022 Designlife Magazine

Read about the people and activities featured in the 2022 issue of Designlife Magazine.

Jun 2, 2022

Jennifer Peavey Plans to Back the Pack Forever

Through a special legacy gift, this NC State alumna hopes to provide professors in the College of Design with the resources to think and do ad infinitum.

Jun 2, 2022

Brian Leonard Believes in Design That Improves Lives

Industrial designer Brian Leonard often finds himself in debates about form versus function. But rather than focusing on how something looks, he’s more concerned with how design can benefit people now and in the future.

May 31, 2022

Mark Templeton Wants You to Think Outside the Box

College of Design alumnus Mark Templeton, NC State’s fall 2021 commencement speaker, crowned a storied career several years ago by retiring as CEO of Citrix, a multibillion-dollar software company.

May 18, 2022

Celebrating Another Successful Day of Giving

The College of Design celebrated another successful Day of Giving on March 23, 2022 thanks to the generous gifts of donors, alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends, all of whom believe in the importance of design education. Thanks to your support, the college was able to raise $474,885 from 373 gifts, exceeding last year’s 309 gifts by 21%.

May 5, 2022

Congratulations, Class of 2022!

We asked our spring graduates for some thoughts on their time in the College of Design. Below, hear from them in their own words.

Apr 27, 2022

MID Students Abby Scheer and Arissa Wheeler win awards through NC State eGames

MID Students Abby Scheer and Arissa Wheeler won awards through NC State eGames competition, placing in third and second place, respectively.

Apr 18, 2022

Sustainability by Design

Students are gaining real-world experience while reducing waste in a new project sponsored by Eastman. The company challenged NC State industrial design seniors in the College of Design to create consumer products with sustainability top of mind. 

Apr 12, 2022

Graduate Student Research Symposium Winners

Nearly 200 NC State graduate students presented their research projects this week at the 15th annual Graduate Student Research Symposium, and 27 were recognized as the best presenters in their disciplines.…

Apr 9, 2022

Students design in-home mold detection device; win third place in Stanford Design Challenge

Industrial Design Senior Lindsey Dotson is part of a winning team that designed an in-home mold detection device to help people maintain healthy homes.

Mar 4, 2022

‘Everything Had to Have a Purpose’: Remembering Journalism Visionary Richard Curtis

NC State alumnus Richard Curtis revolutionized print journalism as the founding managing editor for design at USA Today. He died Sunday at 75.

Jan 19, 2022

NC State Creatives: Apeksha Yadav

Apeksha Yadav is a graduate student in the Industrial Design program, and she's working to reduce the environmental impact of the digital world.

Dec 20, 2021

Learning Beyond the Classroom: An Alumnus Celebrates a Patent Award Milestone

Prasad Joshi is a 2018 graduate from the Master of Industrial Design program at the College of Design, and was recently awarded a patent along with fellow student Charity Kirk for their work on a bassinet design. He shared his experiences with applying an interdisciplinary approach to a new design, the importance of collaboration and how a student project became a patented product.

Dec 15, 2021

First Year Experience Paper Project is featured in Walter Magazine

NC State first-year design students study form, function, and movement through inventive garments made of paper. Republished from Walter Magazine

Sep 23, 2021

NC State Creatives: Daniel Stott

To Daniel, industrial design can be a tool to give a new purpose to an old idea. Now, he's using his skills to design products that help us adopt healthier, more sustainable and environmentally-friendly lives.

May 4, 2021

Early Champions for the New Design Center at 111 Lampe Drive

As renovations for the Design Center at 111 Lampe Drive continue to progress, students are preparing to utilize the blank spaces for fall 2021. A key aspect of this renovation is creating collaborative studio spaces that can support the numerous studio partnerships. One of those companies, Eastman, pledged a major gift to become the first partner to name a space in the new facility.

Mar 1, 2021

Design Identities: Tim Allen

Tim Allen was named one of Fast Company's most creative people in business for 2017. He leads the global product design team at Airbnb, centered on design and inclusivity. His focus on fueling human potential is key to building products and cultures that inspire people to do their best work.

Dec 10, 2020

Mirrors and Mentors: Reaching Back for the Next Generation

ClayVon Lowe, Reggie Howell and Britt Davis are all graduates of the College of Design. By paying the act of mentorship forward, they have not only formed a bond that continues to shape their own lives and careers, but those of other young minds as well.

Dec 3, 2020

Congratulations, Graduates!

For our 2020 graduates, this year's commencement ceremony was like no other. It began with a video of Dean Hoversten searching the campus for our students. Then, the department heads shared words of encouragement with the students, commending them for their outstanding work this year.