Javier de la Fuente

Javier de la Fuente serves as Associate Professor and Area Chair in the Industrial Technology and Packaging Area at the Orfalea College of Business, California Polytechnic State University, and holds an Adjunct Faculty position at Universidad de Monterrey teaching graduate-level product usability and innovation.

His educational foundation includes a five-year Industrial Design degree earned summa cum laude from Universidad de Buenos Aires, complemented by Master's and Doctorate degrees in Packaging from Michigan State University.

Dr. de la Fuente's research centers on design-driven innovation, affordances in usability, and inclusive design, with his team pioneering mobile eye-tracking methodologies for physical product usability testing. His work bridges academic rigor with practical applications in healthcare packaging and user-centered product development, emphasizing accessibility and human factors.

His scholarly achievements include:

• Best Paper Award at the Cambridge Workshop on Universal Access and Assistive Technology
• Cal Poly Learn by Doing Scholar Award (2019) for pedagogical innovation in packaging education

As a dedicated mentor, he has guided students to national and international recognition in packaging competitions including IoPP AmeriStar, WPO WorldStar Student, and PPA Student Design Challenge. He co-founded Factor IDD, a design consultancy specializing in packaging and brand identity, demonstrating his commitment to translating academic insights into industry solutions.

His research group actively advances usability testing frameworks through mobile eye-tracking technology, with significant implications for inclusive healthcare packaging design and product innovation.