Zeyu Tian

Zeyu Tian is a senior industrial design student at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. Growing up, she felt that she has seen and used many products that do not make sense. Over time, Zeyu began to interpret the designers' design ideas and think about how to design for a better user experience. Driven by her passion for creating human-centered design, Zeyu now aspires to become an industrial designer. Her desire is to produce products that are practical, have aesthetic value, and not be easily outdated.

When asked about leaving a positive impact on society through design, Zeyu states, “A design that positively impacts society should have a meaning of its own. People may be initially attracted by its function or fascinated by its beauty. They may not understand the design at first glance. However, when they continue to use it, they will gradually understand the meaning behind the design. This meaning can make them explore and think more and gain from it. This design must be human-centered, so people can understand its importance and resonate with it. I want to design something that is not just an entity but also a story and a language. It will be an inorganic life form with a soul. Its entity can perish, but everyone who touches it will be captivated by its soul. Over time, its concept will not be forgotten but will continue to impact society positively.”

Zeyu is passionate about improving representation within the design industry itself and in the evolving definitions of design disciplines. She says, “I hope that through my efforts, I can inspire more women to take an interest in design and achieve gender equality in the field of design.” Zeyu continues, “The realization of design diversity requires personal knowledge in multiple fields and the cooperation of a team of people. In addition, I hope to develop the ability to think and be curious, eliminate prejudices, improve and refine my designs, and contribute to the inclusiveness and diversity of the industrial design field.”