Joep W. Frens

Joep W. Frens is an Associate Professor at the Industrial Design department of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). He leads the New Futures squad and chairs the Examination Committee for Industrial Design. His work focuses on rich interaction design, integrating form, interaction, and function in products.

• Academic Background: MSc in Industrial Design (TU Delft), PhD in Interaction Design (TU/e, 2006)
• Prestigious Invited Role: Nierenberg Chair of Design, Carnegie Mellon University (2014-2015)

Research interests center on designing for rich interaction in growing systems, with a hands-on making approach. His projects explore IoT, smart home sustainability, and resident-centered energy transitions. Recent publications analyze collaborative design tools, embodied interaction, and feminist HCI applications.

Key research areas include:

• Smart systems & energy transitions
• Digital craftsmanship & prototyping
• Ultra-personalization & user data
• Dematerialization & sustainable design

Scientific achievements include:

• Nierenberg Chair of Design (2014-2015)
• Co-editor of special issue on making for the IxD&A Journal

As educator, Frens supervises projects on human-product interaction, connectivity, and sustainability. His teaching philosophy emphasizes student autonomy while providing sparring-partner guidance. He contributes to SDG targets through resident-centered energy transition research and collaborations.