Amy Kern

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Amy Kern

Professor of Industrial Design

Industrial Design

Bio

My desire to contribute to shaping the discipline can be seen through my research/book/blog project which has successfully investigated culturally
relevant hand craft traditions around the world targeting the ethnography of design.
Additionally, in 2012 I launched my design consultancy, AK Magma Designs, which balances humanitarian and universal design projects with projects utilizing my expertise in product
design and manufacturing. I have first hand knowledge of factories all over the world
(including: China, Italy, Vietnam, Indonesia, Slovenia) as well as my full time employment at
domestic wood, upholstery and metal factories.

Degree

Other in

Pratt Institute of Design

BA in Religious Studies

University of California

Published Works

  • Kern, A. (2025). CO-CREATING THE CAMPUS TO BRIDGE DESIGN THINKING, ACTION RESEARCH, AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE DESIGN. AMPS
  • California Institute of Integral Studies, https://amps-research.com/
  • Kern, A. (2024). An Applied Approach to Cognitive Ergonomics in Restaurant Design. Ergonomics International Journal, Volume 8(Issue 3), 4. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.23880/eoij-16000330.
  • Kern, A. (2024). Innovating for Student Success and Opportunity. The International Journal of Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design, http://doi.org/10.18848/2325-1662/CGP
  • Kern, A. . Environmental Psychology and Cross-Cultural Awareness in Ergonomic Design Education. ,
  • Kern, A. (2020, February). Universal Distance Design for Accessible Radical Collaboration in Education. FrancoAngeli Edizioni.
  • Kern, A. . Digital Ethnography On Fire. (in press). Reconfigurations.
  • Kern, L. A. . Collaborative and Experiential Learning for Success in Social Innovation and Open Innovation. International Congress on Technology, Science and Society, technosciencestudies.com/
  • Shin, T. J., Jennings, T. C., Kern, A. (2015). Contemporary Models of Design Research Problem Solving by Design: Implying a New Design Value Matrix in Design Process. National Institute of Design, India.
  • Kern, A., Shin, T. J., Griner, V. D. (2015, August). Design Like A Chef. Industrial Designers Society of America / Eastman International Education Symposium 2015.

Research Interests

Globalization, Ethnography, Humanitarian Design, Universal Design

Teaching Interests

Participatory Action Research, Active Classroom, Socio-cultural Sensitivities

Additional Information

https://amykern.blogspot.com/