Young Ae Kim

Young Ae Kim is a Professor in the Department of Art at the University of South Dakota's College of Fine Arts, specializing in Graphic Design, UX & UI, and Immersive Design. She maintains an active research profile while collaborating with major international clients including Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Baskin Robbins, Nike, and City Bank.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in UX & UI Design, Human Factors, University of South Dakota, 2022
• MA in UX & UI Design, Human Factor Psychology, University of South Dakota, 2017
• MFA in Graphic Design, Savannah College of Art and Design, 2008
• B.F.A in Industrial Design, Sookmyung Women's University, 2000

Professor Kim's research focuses on how individual decision-making influences visualization and information receiving processes in both digital and physical environments, and vice versa. She explores how human behavior is influenced by numerous factors and processes information differently, with recent work examining user experience and emotional reactions in immersive environments and data visualization. Her approach combines scientific data to sculpt visual components, develop survey tools, and analyze datasets to better understand human behavior and emotion in visual perception and decision-making.

Her publication trends show a consistent focus on emotional design, cross-cultural studies, and immersive technologies, with increasing emphasis on virtual reality, augmented reality, and data visualization applications, particularly in understanding emotional responses across different cultural contexts.

Her notable achievements include:

• Extended Reality (XR) Exhibition at SIGGRAPH, 2021
• Nominee for Belbars-Larson Award for Excellence in Teaching (multiple years)
• President's Award for Research Innovation & Entrepreneurship, USD, 2011
• Outstanding Alumni from both Savannah College of Art and Design and Sookmyung Women's University, 2010
• Good Design award from KIDP (Korea International Design Promotion), 2010

Professor Kim has secured multiple grants including CTL Teaching and Learning Grants, Travel Funds Grants for conference presentations, and MCI Scholarships of Teaching and Learning Mini Grants. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications in the industry, as evidenced by her collaborations with major design clients. She maintains an active presence in the design community through numerous presentations at international conferences and exhibitions. Her teaching encompasses User Experience and Interface Design, Immersive Design technologies, Data Visualization, Sustainable Package Design, and Brand Strategy.

Her research program 'Design Habit' has been ongoing since 2010, demonstrating long-term commitment to exploring design processes and their impact on human experience. Her work integrates emotional intelligence with design practice to create meaningful user experiences across cultural contexts.